Confusion
by HeathenVampires
Summary: Modern AU. As far as Hiccup knows, the wild girl from the club and the quiet girl in the coffee shop are one and the same. When Astrid mentioned she had a sister, she never mentioned they were identical twins. Hiccstrid & Hicclian inc OC!Astrids twin. (warning for incest/twincest ch13 onward)
1. Chapter 1

**Fun prompts are fun.**

 **So, basics. Modern AU. Contains Hiccup, Astrid and Astrid's identical twin sister.**

 **Story is smutty from the start. Fair warning.**

-HTTYD-

Hiccup _hated_ clubs. Noisy, with the acrid smell of a hundred spilled drinks that helped his feet stick to the floor. And, as Hiccup wasn't really into getting drunk, he was stuck watching his cousin and co down excessive amounts of alcohol, having been pressured into 'going out' by his dad and uncle, insisting Hiccup was too introverted and needed to get out more. Perfectly content with his introverted nature and the fact he'd rather be building something than out ruining his liver, he'd only agreed to get them off his case.

Right now, with the gorgeous blonde currently groping him as he scrambled to find his keys with shaking hands, Hiccup wanted to send them all gifts. He briefly considered asking her name, but all the focus he had was going on staying upright as her mouth latched on to exposed skin at his collar, biting and fucking _giggling_ as she marked him. Harder than he thought he might ever have been in his _life,_ Hiccup finally located his keys, distracted for a minute by hot blonde kissing him, red lipstick little more than a sexy smudge across her mouth as she tugged at his hair, mewling against his mouth.

Hiccup barely even remembered how they ended up there, only a vague image of her saying they had to go to his place because she and her sister had just moved in and it wasn't guest ready yet. Living a short - and messy-make-out-filled - taxi ride away, the taxi driver had actually had to reach back and poke Hiccup to seperate them, to get his money before they scrambled out of the car and along the short path to the front door.

Said front door barely closed behind them before Hiccup's keys clattered to the floor, noise lost in the wet clash of hungry mouths again, hands at his belt, tugging Hiccup's jeans open and smirking as he grunted into the kiss, feeling her hot little hand on his needy cock. Her dress was tight, slightly difficult to hike up over taut, toned thighs, but Hiccup persevered until he found satin-soft lace, fingers clumsy with arousal but he felt she was damp, stroking the wet spot and bucking as her hand tightened on him in response, cock twitching at her hot little moans. She tugged him closer, other hand sliding down the back of his jeans to squeeze.

"You have a great ass."

"T-thanks?"

Honestly, it was hard to talk with her thumb rubbing the end of his cock, powerfully sensitive and threatening to make him ruiin a very pretty dress with a premature ending if she didn't _stop._ Luckily, her pace slowed, giving Hiccup a chance to breathe, a second to think.

"Condoms are in my bedroom."

She growled.

"Too far, check my bag."

It had joined his keys on the floor, but when Hiccup lifted it she rooted through and grinned as she pulled a condom from the confines, pressing it on Hiccup while she tugged down her underwear, kicked off into the shadows behind a dim hallway light. Even with the limited light, Hiccup could see this woman was an absolute walking wet dream, rucked up dress still hugging the shapely curve of her waist, straining over heaving breasts and low cut enough that Hiccup was able to see the flush of red on pale. Rolling the condom down his shaft, he promptly found himself with an armful of eager blonde, keeping one foot on the floor while the other was hiked up and wrapped around his waist.

There was little more preamble before Hiccup was inside her, latex not enough to dull how molten she was, hot and silken, swallowing his cock to the hilt with a soft, sinful gasp. Groaning against her hair, his own face already damp with sweat, he felt her fingers wind through his hair, tugging him close to her ear where breathy whispers tingled.

"Fuck me hard."

It was so matter of fact, three words almost enough to make Hiccup come on the spot. Her blue eyes - utterly gorgeous by themselves - fell closed as Hiccup began thrusting, head rolling back and hitting the door but she scarcely seemed to notice, the hand still buried in his hair tightening as she moaned with each motion. Finding his rhythm in the slightly awkward position, Hiccup gave her the hard thrusts she asked for, watching the primal response inspired as her leg squeezed around his hip fiercely, filth spilling from her lips with abandon as she bucked and rutted, matching him beautifully thrust for thrust.

Harsh and quick and heated, they both shuddered through a mutually wrecking climax in what Hiccup would normally call a shamefully short time, but the way she clawed his back through his shirt and scraped at the door for purchase as the words _"fuck, I'm coming"_ dripped from her mouth like sweet honey soothed him as much as they thrilled him. Slumping, gasping and panting for air, she fixed him with a breathless, unfairly seductive smile.

"I'm Astrid, by the way."

Unable to help himself, Hiccup felt a smile so wide it hurt his cheeks spread over his face. Astrid - pretty name for such a beautiful lady - lowered her leg, Hiccup gripping the condom so he'd not lose it as he pulled out, loathe as he was to leave that soft, welcoming heat.

"Nice to meet you Astrid. I'm Hiccup, at your service milady."

Astrid giggled, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Hiccup? Really?"

He shrugged, too blissed out to even care that his nickname was ludicrous.

"S'what my friends call me. Was a nickname when I was a kid, and it sorta stuck somehow."

Still giggling, Astrid used the grip on his shoulder to pull him forward, planting a blistering kiss on his face.

"Some friends you have."

Before he could answer, both jumped in shock as the door behind Astrid knocked. Certain their appearances could only scream "well-fucked", Hiccup at least remembered to shove himself away in his jeans, tugging his zipper as Astrid pulled down her dress. He peered through the peephole, recognised a neighbour and opened the door.

"Everything alright?"

"I was about to ask you that lad, your door was rattling something awful."

 _Oh._ Hiccup hadn't even considered that as they fucked against it, but given the pace they were going at he wasn't surprised the poor front door had paid the price.

"I uh... was fixing something on it. Sorry. Won't happen again."

Something told him his neighbour did not believe a word of it, but Hiccup closed the door with a smile, yelping in surprise as Astrid squeezed his ass again while the door clicked in to place. Retrieving his keys from the floor, he locked the door, then turned to find Astrid very very close to his face.

"Where's your bedroom?"

Pointing her that way, Hiccup detoured to the bathroom to dispose of the soiled condom, cleaning up the mess and entering his bedroom to find Astrid facing away from him, twisted on her knees to peer over her shoulder at him.

"Unzip me?"

"Happily."

Her dress looked nice, but it looked even better on his bedroom floor. There was no bra beneath it, skin damp with sweat as Hiccup ran his hands over her chest, cupping warm, soft flesh and squeezing lightly, Astrid's hands coming up to encourage him to grope her roughly, keening when he pinched and tugged at her straining nipples. Turning, Astrid relieved him of his clothes in very little time, physically hauling him to the bed. His growing semi was full mast rather quickly, pulsing with a hidden thrill for how _strong_ she was, the strength deceptively hidden under smooth skin and smouldering smiles.

He was about to fumble for the reading lamp switch nearby, but Astrid had already tired of relying on the hallway light and got up, nude and uncaring as she sauntered over to the light switch, bathing them both in light. Hopefully she didn't think his bedroom too nerdy. If she did, she didn't say. Hiccup watched as she slinked back along the bed, predatory smile in place as she crawled, settling between his thighs. Astrid seemed set to appreciate that Hiccup had cleaned himself up in the bathroom, running her closed lips up the underside of his cock before a pink, wet tongue snaked out to lick his glans, shiny trails left in her wake as she smirked up at Hiccup from level with his groin.

Hiccup couldn't stay still, couldn't keep quiet, hips flexing and pathetic, desperate noises escaping his mouth as Astrid worked him, indecently talented with that hot little tongue, sucking him between soft pink lips, humming as though enjoying a sweet treat until Hiccup was almost cross-eyed. Not content to simply lie there, Hiccup beckoned Astrid over and she got the picture very quickly, shifting to straddle his face before resuming her oral attentions on him. Wrapping one hand around her thigh, Hiccup let his other wander until it could grab a handful of her cute ass, tongue eagerly swiping over her slit and the resulting moan echoed along his shaft.

Toying her clit with the tip of his tongue, Hiccup was gratified by the way her thighs shook around his head, not even minding when she had to stop sucking him to bite out those delightful sounds, riding his face shamelessly. When she stopped him before he was done bringing her off, Hiccup was actually disappointed, though he enjoyed the sight of her panting, rosy cheeks stained a deeper red and those pretty lips swollen.

"Condom?"

Scrambling to retrieve his box of contraception, Hiccup rolled on the fresh cover and was soon pinned bodily to the bed, straddled by Astrid as she reached down, aiming Hiccup and taking him to the hilt in one swift drop. The sudden shift from anticipation to hot, wet and tightly-wound was jarring, but Hiccup was happy to adjust to it. Not so easy to adjust to? Astrid's rampant pace, riding him almost violently, using Hiccup to hit herself hard and fast and deep as she bounced, grinding down to press her clit to his pelvis whenever she felt like it. Hiccup was very much along for the ride, and _damn_ what a ride it was.

It all began to blur together into a rather hedonistic, sweaty mass of climaxes, both his and hers, and Hiccup definitely remembered her jerking his cock until he came over her chest as he knelt over her, remembered a playful fight for top before he managed to go down on her properly and that Astrid _really_ liked being taken from behind, peering over her shoulder with wide eyes and bitten lips to ask him to go faster, go harder.

Hiccup also discovered that in addition to her teeth, Astrid's nails were also capable of wreaking havoc on his shoulders and back, spots of blood on the sheets when he got up after needing to take a breather. Left wrung out and feeling like if Astrid touched him again, his brain would melt out of his ears, Hiccup all but crawled to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and twisting to examine the damage she'd done to him in the mirror after rinsing. Gods, he had not gone out that night to pick up this feral beauty, but Hiccup certainly wasn't about to complain. Hel, she'd done things with her _tongue_ that Hiccup scarcely knew were possible...

"If you want, you can borrow some clothes so you don't have to do a walk of shame in the morning in that dress."

"What's wrong with my dress?"

Astrid pouted, hair a lovely golden disarray as she undid the near-useless bobble, taking Hiccup's offered hairbrush with a grateful smile.

"Aside from the fact I think you'd cause a traffic pile up going out in it in daylight? Nothing much."

She laughed, tugging at his rumpled duvet until it sort of laid in the right way to get under. His bed was beyond saving without completely changing the sheets, but there seemed little point if they were going to sleep in it with their sweaty, sticky bodies.

"I do look pretty hot in it, I'll give you that."

Chuckling, Hiccup turned off the light and climbed into bed. They'd really gotten too familiar with every inch of the others body to be too shy to sleep next to each other, and it was way too late to send her off on her own. Hiccup would see her into a taxi in the morning. He didn't expect closeness, but as darkness and exhaustion settled around them both - it was the early hours of the morning, their sexual encounter long and exhilirating - Astrid wriggled over, lifted Hiccup's arm and nestled under it. Well, he wasn't complaining. Cuddles were nice, and he fell asleep quite soon with her warm weight against his chest.

He woke alone, admittedly a tad disappointed when he saw Astrid's things gone from the floor and that the bed next to him was cold as well as empty. Rubbing sleep out of his eyes, Hiccup spied a note next to him, saw a messy scrawl that told him Astrid had to leave because the moving truck had turned up early and her sister called to demand Astrid come home and help. He was disappointed again by the lack of phone number, though there was no words exchanged last night to indicate more than a one night stand... but the little addition at the bottom did leave him grinning.

 _In return for having to borrow your clothes, if you can find where my underwear ended up, you can keep them ;)_

* * *

Still a little sleepy as she stumbled through the door in borrowed t-shirt and jogging bottoms, Astrid yawned into her hand and kicked off her shoes. Her Uber had definitely spotted the mismatch and probably knew what it meant, but Astrid didn't care. The dragon on her chest looked a little funny stretched over her bra-less chest, which the annoying creature in her new place commented on.

"Well, that's a statement look."

"Bite me Lils."

"I would but someone clearly beat me to it. Coffee?"

Nodding at her sister, Astrid spotted that the boxes had been brought in, hunting for her decorating clothes and taking them up to have a brief shower while Lillian made her coffee. Glancing at her reflection, she spotted a couple of faint hickeys, nothing on the battering that guys skin had gone through. Astrid got a little rough when she was really turned on...

Relatively clean and dressed in her own clothes, Astrid headed down with the stolen attire from Hiccup folded up and dumped on a box. She'd have to take it back to him some time. Maybe they ought to have exchanged numbers. Hel, they hadn't even exchanged _names_ until after groping on the journey back and sex up against his front door, hard enough to disturb a neighbour.

"So, how was it? Oh my gods Astrid, you slut!"

Lillian laughed as she noticed Astrid settling on the seat a little delicately, knowing full well what it meant and letting Astrid know in no uncertain terms she was rumbled. Not that she really cared. They were identical twins, had grown up together and were closer than most people could ever comprehend. Sex was one of those things they were completely open about. Inhaling the rich scent of coffee, she peered around the mostly-empty kitchen and saw that Lillian had made a start, a few new things in their place now.

"What? He was hot. And _good._ Best one night stand ever. I'd only gone to sleep like... three hours? Before you called."

Of the two of them, Astrid was the 'wild' one, Lils a little more reserved, quieter. But they had the same humour, the same open minded approach to life. Both got annoyed when grouped together as one unit - they were individuals despite their similarities - but Astrid knew she'd be lost without Lillian.

"Damn. Well, sorry to ruin possible morning sex, but the truck was early and the sooner we get this place sorted, the sooner we can prank guys with the ol' switcheroo."

Astrid snorted, feeling progressively more awake now the coffee was sat warmly in her belly. Stretching, she slung her arms around Lillian in a lazy hug, then gestured to the boxes.

"Breakfast or boxes first?"

"Boxes. If we start pulling stuff out just to cook, it'll get messy."

Rolling her eyes at Lils beign all sensible, Astrid nodded, turning to the boxes and grinning at the twinges and aches from the previous night. Definitely a good way to let off steam from the stress of moving.

-HTTYD-

 **I have absolutely no idea when this will next be updated. But I'm terrible and really wanted to get this first one out.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I am giggling so much writing this story.**

 **Lillian POV features in this chapter.**

-HTTYD-

Perusing the menu up above the baristas head, Lillian debated excessive but necessary caffeine consumption against a serious craving for sugar, opting for something in the middle and getting her usual with some added caramel syrup.

"Drink or take out?"

"Hm. Drink in, but can I get a takeout cup? I might have to leave quickly if my sister calls."

"Name?"

Giving it and wondering how likely it was it would be _wrong,_ like most other times where there was only one L or an extra N or they'd misheard entirely and written _Lydia_ or something... she nodded to it being brought over to her table, bought a cookie to go with it and headed to nab the last empty table in there before the hipster guy with a straggly beard he was clearly desperately trying to grow out got there. He frowned as he saw Lillian get there, pulling out her laptop and lamenting ever starting university at that moment. Grinning to herself at the minor victory. she ate her cookie while absently tapping, bringing up her assignment and humming happily with the chewy texture and chocolate chips.

Drink brought over - correctly spelled and everything! - Lillian put it to the side after a hearty swallow of too-hot coffee with the sweet taste of syrup, then tuned out the noise around her to focus on her work. The bit she'd started amongst the chaos of their new place was exactly that - chaos. So that was deleted, restarted and Lillian got several far more coherent sentences down, fuelled by caffeine and sugar, before she became aware someone was standing nearby. Half-expecting that hipster, Lillian looked up.

 _Oh, hello!_

Not the hipster. Nope. Cute guy. In a sort of wiry, slightly nerdy sort of way. Shaggy hair and big green eyes and a smattering of stubble and freckles across his face.

"Mind if I sit here? It's kinda full in here."

Gesturing to the empty seat opposite, Lillian nodded - there weren't many options for seating, and he was nice on the eye. She could look - the hickey on his neck suggested maybe looking was all that was an option, but still.

"Sure."

He smiled warmly, a little crooked but sweet all the same. Turning back to her work, Lillian felt his eyes on her again as he sipped from his drink - a ludicrously coloured frappe. Spying his name on the side, she figured introducing herself wouldn't be the _worst_ idea.

"So... Henry, is it?"

He nodded, smile growing a little.

"At your service milady."

What a dork. Why did that make him cuter? Assuming he had done the same and read her name on her cup, Lillian looked back down at her laptop, then felt herself compelled to glance back up.

Henry was still looking at her a little strangely.

"Do I have something on my face?"

He blinked, cheeks flushing lightly as he shook his head.

"No, no! I just... nothing."

He resumed drinking in silence, looking resolutely anywhere but her as Lillian resumed her work. Once he'd finished his drink and checked his phone, he started preparing to get up, rubbing the top of his arm.

"Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I hurt my shoulder a couple of nigh- days ago."

Nodding in assent, Lillian smiled when he did, waved him off when he thanked her for letting him sit there, and turned back to her laptop. She did take a second to watch him out - _damn_ that was a nice backside. He turned back to look at her, and Lillian quickly pulled her eyes up. Henry cocked his head, eyebrow raised. Then he was gone.

Her laptop beeped to distract her from the cute guy, warning Lillian her battery was low. Still, she'd made a good enough start, and her mind felt better not surrounded by boxes and half-done furniture. Saving and packing up, Lillian headed back home to her sister. Astrid was lazing on the sofa, but the remnants of a battle with IKEA flat packs scattered the floor, and she looked quite proud of herself. A couple of faded hickeys still littered _her_ throat too, after that hot guy at the club she was still insisting was the best guy she'd ever had in bed. And up against a door.

"Wardrobes both done. And I put your bed together for you."

"You're an angel."

Astrid winked.

"I try. Did you get some work done at last?"

"Yeah. Thanks for chasing me out, I needed the break. Though I didn't get _loads_ done. Got a little distracted."

Astrid sat up straighter, sensing interesting gossip.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Cute guy. Sort of dorky, but still sweet? I barely spoke to him but... I sound ridiculous."

"Remember who you're talking to Lils. I fucked a guy against his door before I even got his name. So, how cute is cute?

Giggling, Lillian sank down next to Astrid after she put her bag down, shoving her legs down playfully only for Astrid to put them back on Lillian's lap instead. Her sister was a cheeky thing.

"Yes but not all of us _behave_ like that. And yes, he was very... cute!"

Astrid leant back, stretching lazily.

"No matter how cute he was, he wasn't as hot as the guy at the club. _Damn,_ that ass."

Rolling her eyes, Lillian opted not to admit that Henry had caught her checking out his ass. That had been a little mortifying.

"Well, I'm not sure a guy who lets you drag him home and shag him stupid is my type."

Sticking her tongue out, Astrid flicked a peanut at her sister.

"Don't knock it til you've tried it!"

* * *

Leaving the cafe after taking a break between errand running, Hiccup mused on Astrid's odd behaviour. Tried to work out what was different.

Well, apart from the red lipstick and in-his-face cleavage. She looked pretty different in a comfy jumper and jeans, tapping away on her laptop under daylight rather than club light. Still, she was bloody gorgeous, and apparently Hiccup couldn't resist the urge to go over and make a fool of himself.

Hearing her call him Henry - if he said Hiccup, baristas looked at him funny - was a little odd, especially after all the times he had heard her utter Hiccup in that _obscene_ , breathy tone while they were in bed...

And then she was so... not cold, but clearly not hugely interested in a deep conversation. Hiccup did his best not to be a dick about it - she'd been quite clear about being after a hook up in the club, and he had no right to interrupt her working. For a minute or two, Hiccup wondered if she even recognised him. Then he shushed his brain. Even if she didn't, he wasn't about to accuse her of not recognising a one night stand. Especially in public.

Her cool attitude did offset him a bit though, left him feeling awkward even after they'd gotten _very_ up close and personal a few nights before. So he sat quietly, mostly enjoying his drink and trying not to stare at the space on her neck where he was sure he'd left a hickey. Had he not bit her that hard? He was still healing from the roughness himself, but Astrid had only asked for _more,_ harder, rougher...

There wasn't even a flicker of response when Hiccup rubbed his shoulder, healing from the freaking claw marks Astrid had left there... maybe she just wasn't interested in conversation? Hel, they hadn't gotten names before the first time they fucked. Maybe Astrid had just been blowing off steam, and now she was getting back on with her life, and had let Hiccup sit with her out of politeness. Why was he thinking so bloody hard about a one night stand? Gods, she really had gotten under his skin that night. Amongst other things.

Why didn't he just ask for his clothes back? That would have been better than just _staring_ , trying to remember if the lovebites had definitely been there. It had all become a bit of a hot, wet, sticky blur that night...

"Blimey Hiccup! Encounter with a vampire?"

"Bite me Eret."

"I would but you look like you've suffered enough!"

Resisting the urge to hurl a tool at Eret, Hiccup tugged on his overalls and went to work. It took all of five minutes before Eret was sidling up and trying to get information, only stopping when Hiccup threatened to ram a heavy wrench somewhere less than comfortable. Of course, that only brought... _memories_ of his time with Astrid up. He didn't think that sort of thing actually happened, not on a one night stand, but Astrid had found his lube when she was getting a fresh condom and, well, she _asked_ for it. Blimey though. She was really a wild card.

Adamantly insisting to himself he would not keep thinking about her like some kind of obsessed stalker, Hiccup was successful for all of two days. Then, running late for work and desperately hungry, he went to grab a snack from the cafe. When he saw Astrid there again, Hiccup backtracked before he could go over and be even later for work and more embarrassed. That resulted in him being slightly crabby at work until Eret came to the rescue with a protein bar. He might be annoying, but Eret was a good friend and an easy colleague to work with.

"Man, this girl really did a number on you. Does she have a sister?"

"Eret!"

"Yes?"

Rolling his eyes, Hiccup stole a biscuit from Eret's illicit sugar stash. Oh, how he regretted admitting why he was hungry.

"Actually, she does. I've never met her though. For all I know her sister is a lesbian or a martial arts expert who would twist you into knots."

"Hey, I'm an open minded guy, that could be fun!"

Swallowing some water to wash the sticky residue of protein bar off his teeth, Hiccup sighed.

"It was a one night stand. It would be _incredibly creepy_ of me to hang around the cafe every day, wait for her to turn up, then say 'hey my workmate who will not stop demanding information about that hookup that left me covered in bruises wants to date your sister'."

Eret pulled a face.

"You, mister Haddock, are no fun at all."

It was a whole week before Hiccup spotted Astrid in the cafe again, looking even cuter than last time. Although that might be because _she was wearing his t-shirt._ Was that a hint? Or just her picking up something to put on? Ordering a drink, he glanced around and debated if it was too empty to excuse him sitting at her table. It was, but the table next to her _was_ empty. Adding a toasted sandwich to his purchase, Hiccup headed to sit down and pulled out his book.

"Here you go sir."

"Thank you."

Tray placed down with hot drink and hot food on, Hiccup cursed the way his belly flipped at the sound of her voice.

"Henry, right?"

He nodded, feeling awkward as he noticed the way the dragon motif stretched over her chest.

"Yeah. I uh, I like your t-shirt."

She looked down, smiling prettily as her head came back up.

"Oh. Thanks. It's not mine. I sorta borrowed it."

Was she _trying_ to wind him up? Hiccup considered calling her on it, but, well, it was true. He _had_ said she could borrow his clothes.

What was it about Astrid that made his brain feel like it had been in a food mixer? Damn her, being so bloody cute and tempting and brain-melting. His back had barely healed from meeting the ferocious little blonde.

"So... what are you working on?"

Her sweet mouth pouted up slightly in thought. Hiccup wanted to feel those soft pink lips against his own again, pressing to his skin, parting on soft, sinful sounds...

Shit. She was talking.

"- and so, coursework sucks but I really like the rest of it."

He'd missed the first bit. Hiccup had to sort of wing it in answering, picking up his sandwich that was now almost stone cold.

"Yeah, I hate doing paperwork at the garage but I love to play with the cars."

They exchanged a little more small talk before Astrid got a message on her phone, then looked up with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry, I gotta run. My sister appears to have exploded something. Nice seeing you again Henry."

The second she vanished out of the door, Hiccup was kicking himself for not asking for her number. Or mentioning properly that it was _his_ shirt she was wearing.

Deciding he was a little too fixated on Astrid simply because one night stands and random hot girls in clubs were not things that happened to him generally, Hiccup, in a fit of absolute insanity, let Eret convince him he ought to go out again.

"Even if you just chat to a couple of girls and don't want to pick anyone up, it'll do you good. You haven't really socialised much since breaking up with your ex."

"I'm not a social person!"

"Which is fine, except you still need a little more experience with real life ladies if you are ever going to date anyone again. You got lucky with Cami being so damn blunt she just asked you out herself and found your awkwardness endearing."

As Hiccup pulled up outside the club in his own car a couple of nights later - if he drove, he was less likely to get drunk and embarrass himself, right? - he cursed Eret's entire existence. He could go home. He was an adult. Eret wouldn't know.

The minute he entered the club, Hiccup was suddenly very glad he had done so.

"I was hoping I'd run into you again."

-HTTYD-

 **Poor Hiccup, all awkward and confused and adorable.**


	3. Chapter 3

**If anyone felt sorry for confused Hiccup...**

 **well.**

-HTTYD-

"I was hoping I'd run into you again."

Sweet _Hel,_ Astrid stunned him into silence for a minute. Her dress that night looked painted on, hugging the curves he'd explored with his hands and mouth over and over on _that_ night.

"Well, here I am."

Was his voice higher than usual? Hiccup wasn't sure. Hopefully Astrid didn't notice either way with the loud music.

"Are you here with people?"

Hiccup shook his head, still a touch thrown. Wasn't the idea of coming out tonight to get past his brain-swirl over Astrid? And now she was right in front of him looking _obscenely_ attractive, oh, and her hand was on his belt.

"So if I suggested getting out of here?"

Given that Hiccup could see at least a dozen other people eyeing Astrid with avid interest - male _and_ female - he didn't think him turning her down would really stop her having fun that night. And that would be the _sensible_ option, rather than him falling ever more entangled with this strange, quirky mystery of a woman.

"My cars out front."

Astrid's eyes lit up in a way that made Hiccup slightly scared and far too aroused.

The bouncer on the door looked completely flabbergasted by Hiccup having only entered the club five minutes before, and was now leaving with a blonde he undoubtedly remembered - because honestly, who could forget seeing Astrid in the criminal dress she had on?

Astrid slid into the passenger side far too gracefully while Hiccup wondered how she could _move,_ let alone _bend_ so easily. Then realised he should actually get in the car if he was going to take her back to his. He'd barely gotten in his seat before he had a lap full of blonde, Astrid's mouth hot on his own, body heat burning through his clothes.

Both jumped when the horn beeped, knocked by Astrid's movements astride him it seemed. They dissolved into giggles within seconds, Astrid's head resting forward on his shoulder as she shook with amusement.

"Last time the door. This time the horn. What next?"

Flustered and unsure whether Astrid was insinuating they'd be hooking up in future or if she was expecting another surprise noise, Hiccup realised they'd drawn attention with the noise.

"You gonna let me drive or are we giving the doorman a free show?"

Smirking, Astrid pecked a kiss on his lips, then shifted back to her seat and continued looking mischevious and smug while Hiccup adjusted his jeans, erection straining against the material. The siren-like creature who mounted him in a car park was hard to reconcile with the quieter, studious young woman he'd bumped in to in a cafe. If he hadn't seen her for himself, Hiccup wouldn't believe it.

"The taxi was more fun, behaving so you don't cause a crash is not as exciting."

Astrid winked when Hiccup looked over at her, small sound of amusement leaving his mouth.

"Well in my defence, I didn't know you would be there."

"That's true. I suppose I can forgive you this time."

Hiccup had barely gotten out of his car in the communal car park when Astrid was on him again, barely remembering to hit the lock button before a hungry mouth latched on to his neck, wide eyes and mock innocence not really flying when a fresh bruise throbbed on his throat. Did she actually turn into a wild animal when he wasn't looking? It certainly felt so when she slid her fingers around his wrist, yanking Hiccup effortlessly along to his home. Either braver or simply brazen about it, Astrid had her hand in his jeans before he'd even unlocked the front door, squeezing his cock and smirking when Hiccup bit back a groan lest his neighbours grow suspicious.

"Astrid!"

He hissed, but she looked utterly unapologetic as she twisted her wrist, thumb already rubbing at his glans the way she'd clearly remembered made Hiccup choke on a needy noise or two. Finally undoing the lock on the door, Astrid grabbed his collar and hauled him inside, bodies as close as they could be without removing some form of clothing before the door had even closed.

For a second, Hiccup wanted to ask about why Astrid had been so cool and seeming uninterested in the coffee shop. Then Astrid was undoing his fly and dropping to her knees, and anything resembling coherent thought was soon completely gone. All soft lips and nimble tongue and hard suction, Astrid worked him to a frenzied state incredibly fast, blonde fringe tickling at his belly when Astrid relaxed her throat and let him slide down on each of her head bobs. The swallowing motion threatened to undo Hiccup entirely every time, and judging by the way she grinned when coming up for air Astrid damn well knew it.

No lipstick this time. Hiccup preferred it, alluring as he'd found the sight of it smeared across her face before. The soft pink of her lips was perfect.

Wet, filthy sounds accompanied that vice grip of her throat on his cock, wide blue eyes peering up at him to watch as Hiccup buckled, knees almost giving out as Astrid swallowed him down, humming and teasing her tongue over every sensitive inch until she finally let him go. Panting like he'd run a race, Hiccup could only stare at her in awe for a minute. Astrid wiped her mouth, still looking oh so very smug with herself.

"Hey, at least this time I didn't worry your neighbours."

A breathless laugh seemed to forcibly exhale itself from his empty lungs, heart thundering against his ribs as Astrid remembered the way to his bedroom, beckoning Hiccup along as though he had thoughts of doing _anything else._ Already slipping free of her dress, the tight material sinking to the floor almost fluid-like, Astrid painted quite the picture in nothing but that scrap of lace he could barely call underwear, sliding up along his bedcovers to recline against his pillows quite comfortably.

"Take off your clothes."

That was hardly something he was going to turn down. Although losing the chance to eye Astrid's nearly-nude body was a little sad, it wasn't for very long as he stripped his top half first, bottoms still hanging open where Astrid had gone for them earlier. Hiccup supposed he was glad or maybe lucky they didn't fall and trip him up. She giggled when he realised he couldn't take off said bottoms without taking off his shoes first, an awkward and ungainly hobble-kick-thing finally freeing him of all but his boxers. Only then did Astrid allow him onto his own bed, lithe and seductive as she stretched along the length of his body, dead set on kissing him completely senseless.

The feral blonde left Hiccup with a couple of fresh bruises before he managed to regain enough control to pin her, repaying the favour and leaving a prominent bruise on her neck for himself, one he was sure would not be faded in a couple of days, should they bump into each other at the cafe again. Astrid squirmed and mewled, twitching and shoving at his head until Hiccup's mouth left her throat to trace her breast. Definitely still the wild girl he'd brought home last time, Hiccup felt nails scrape at his shoulders when he sucked her nipple, hips bucking up against him, Astrid growling when he used his hands to hold her squirming body down.

"Patience is a virtue."

"I have no virtues!"

Hiccup couldn't help laughing as she pouted, switching to give equal oral attentions to her other breast, sucking a bruise into the delicate skin there and moving on with the taste of her sweat on his tongue. Her lower body arced to let Hiccup peel off her underwear, tongue now stroking through wet and hot and swollen. The intensity of Astrid's responsiveness to his mouth was an ego boost, and addictive to a fault. He'd never known he could enjoy this particular act _so much_ for himself, but gods... the way Astrid moaned and twisted, cursing, grabbing and scratching him and pleading for him to keep going was a rush he had not yet experienced before her.

As she climaxed, Astrid was an absolute vision to behold, grasping sheets, skin flushing, legs trembling as Hiccup kept going, sensitive enough that Astrid's thighs shook each time his tongue swiped across her clit.

After all of maybe a minute recovering, chest heaving beautifully and a glow of sweat shining on her whole body, Astrid was already rooting through his drawer for the condom supply he'd had to replenish, after Astrid had effectively expended the entire pack he had left before.

"On your back handsome."

"Handsome? You can come again."

Astrid began giggling at the double entendre, tackling Hiccup and shoving him down on his back in a lovely tangle of limbs and kisses and gropes, his mouth still sticky with her arousal but that didn't slow her a jot. If anything, Hiccup got the feeling she liked it.

Something made a noise nearby, but Hiccup was distracted by the feel of Astrid squeezing his cock, rolling latex over his shaft before straddling his hips. She seated herself easily, taking Hiccup fully and making a beautiful little sound of contentment. Of all the ways he'd seen her - frantic against his door, on her knees, in the club... the only place Hiccup really enjoyed seeing Astrid more than on top of him right now was probably in the coffee shop, looking soft and sweet and studious.

Actually... no. It was a tie. Both were amazing.

Astrid began to move, riding him with a steady pace, hands pressing to his chest and tweaking a nipple whenever the whim took her. Hiccup tried to match her, but once Astrid got into her stride he could never hope to match it. Squeezing at the soft curve of her hips, Hiccup let her take them both to that surging, burning peak, that silken grip of her spasming body enough to send him tipping over to madness more than happily.

She slumped, breathless and grinning against him, rubbing lazily at Hiccup's chest until she finally rolled over to the actual bed, letting Hiccup toss the used condom before she dragged a very willing man into a lazy cuddle.

"Sorry about your lamp."

Hiccup had entirely forgotten the noise, but when he followed Astrid's lazy gesture toward the side of the bed, he saw the shattered remnants of his left-side reading lamp. He shrugged, turning to nuzzle Astrid's neck and enjoying the way she giggled and wriggled but didn't try to stop him.

"It's fine. It was an ugly lamp."

"It really was. I didn't want to say anything! But if you want, I can recommend good places to shop. Me and my sister got our lamps the other day. And there were much less ugly lamps than that one. Oh... which reminds me."

"Huh? Reminds you of what?"

Lifting to rest his head on one hand, Hiccup looked at Astrid as her mouth puckered in thought.

"I wanted to apologise for before. It's just with the whole moving thing, everything is..."

"Oh. It's fine. No strings, just fun, right?"

Already captivated by this blonde vixen, Hiccup was admittedly disappointed with the prospect she was only after this hook up thing. It was becoming quite clear he wasn't really a one night stand type. Or maybe he was, and Astrid was just _that_ good at drawing him in.

Still, the sensational sex was plenty enough for Hiccup. He wasn't going to become an additional stressor in her life - she had moving, her sister and probably other family, her education and possibly even an actual job. If she wanted to blow off steam in the form of very pleasurable attacks on Hiccup's skin? Well, he didn't see the problem.

-HTTYD-

 **I don't think Hiccup minds being a bit confused if it means Astrid in bed with him. Well, at least for now! Hehehe**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry in advance if this chapter comes out awful, I am not in a good place and needed something simple to write.  
**

-HTTYD-

"Talk about coincidence!"

Eret could hardly miss that Hiccup had a fresh set of bite marks littering his skin when he went back to work, and since he already planned to demand to know if Hiccup had gone out, it was inevitable he find out Hiccup had seen Astrid again. He was amused by the fact sending Hiccup out to get him over his one-night-stand had turned into a second-night-stand.

"Yeah. Still... it was a damn good night. Even if she broke my lamp. She did recommend a store to get a new one, which I need to do later."

Shaking his head, Eret baulked at the idea of reading in bed and made a comment about something Hiccup thought was along the lines of "fire" and "sex", decided he didn't want to know and went back to what he was doing to the car. His back still stung if he bent over too fast. Astrid was an _animal._ And Hiccup probably liked it a little too much.

"Well, at least the lamp died for a good cause!"

Hiccup bit back a laugh, refusing to encourage Eret and his terrible jokes. He sat musing on the fact Astrid had asked if she could take his number. Naturally, he had agreed, but Astrid hadn't given him hers in turn. Kissing her goodbye the morning after - and _that_ was after a messy morning tryst amongst his twisted bedsheets - Hiccup did ask her straight if she was intending to 'booty call' him. Astrid had left him with a wink, a smirk and "you'll have to wait and see".

That girl was going to be the death of him.

Lamp shopping took a little longer than Hiccup intended, because after the way the last one suffered a downfall, he took the time to look for one with a sturdier base that ought to hopefully not topple quite so easily. Not that he assumed Astrid would come back. But just in case.

Finally settled on one that also came in a nice shade of green, Hiccup took his new purchases home. His new rug was a little indulgent, but a pleasant surprise for his bare feet on a midnight bathroom trip that meant less cold floor. When they visited the next evening for dinner, his mother commented on the new addition.

"Lovely colour."

"Thanks mom. I like it."

"Speakin' of colour, why is your neck purple son?"

Well, his dad wasn't wasting time, and as soon as it was brought up his mother was immediately intrigued too.

"Don't get excited! It was a... well, I can't call it a one night stand anymore. When you and uncle Spite made Snot drag me out, I met a girl."

"Aye, your cousin couldn't believe it!"

It was lucky Hiccup was comfortable talking sex with his parents, really, otherwise Hiccup would probably have hid in his room by then.

"I'm not really a one night stand type, but she was... really something. And a couple of nights ago, I bumped into her again."

He wasn't going to talk about the coffee shop encounters. His mother would definitely know Hiccup was definitely developing something of an ill-advised crush, should he talk about Astrid in any way that wasn't with the fondness of a good amorous encounter.

"Did she not like you or somethin'? Looks like she tried to fight you off."

"No no, she just... bites. A lot. I've had Eret on my case about it twice now, he thinks he's hilarious."

Shooing his mother away from the cooker before anything ended up on fire or something, Hiccup listened to his parents chatter, smiling to himself as he prepared a meal. It could probably serve six people comfortably... if one of those six was not his dad, his uncle or surrogate-uncle Gobber. Luckily, Hiccup liked to cook.

Shaking off a vague romantic notion of getting Astrid over early enough for dinner first, or staying for breakfast the night after, he chatted work and life and heard daft stories of the latest antics other family members had gotten up to. His mother was in fits of laughter as she detailed an incident with her sister over dessert, and by the time they left, Hiccup had smiled so much his face was hurting.

In high spirits the next day, Hiccup hummed as he dipped in to the coffee shop again, craving their signature gingerbread and a hot chocolate before he headed off to work. He'd barely sat down to await his sweet treats before a shadow fell across his table, eyes travelling up a navy hoody and blonde braid to a soft smile.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

It was always busy in the mornings, with others like Hiccup stopping to fuel up before work. Even if he'd been the only other person in there, he'd still have said yes. Nodding, Astrid dropped her laptop backpack on the table, made him promise to protect it like an angry dragon, then headed off to order her own drink. Hiccup watched her go, shamelessly trying to catch sight of that lovebite he had deliberately, definitely given her. There was nothing to be seen on her neck. Was she covering it up with makeup? She didn't seem the type to bother, but Hiccup had no idea what she might have been doing. And besides, Astrid was considerably less wild day to day than as his feral bedmate, so maybe she _was_ the cover up type.

Gingerbread and hot chocolate obtained, Hiccup did his best not to stare but wasn't quite able to _not_ look at Astrid a lot. At least now they exchanged light small talk, so there was no awkwardly _silent_ staring. Once the tray was put aside as they were done eating, her laptop reappeared and soon after, a rather adorable little frown marred her features.

"Something wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, no. Just coursework."

"You sure? Sometimes talking can unstick your brain."

She frowned a little more, then her face smoothed out again.

"Alright. Here" she turned the laptop around, half of it looking very much like gibberish or maybe algebra "what do you make of it?"

There was a spark of challenge in her face, and for a minute Hiccup saw something of the sassy, sparky woman he knew in bed. Astrid was clearly looking for a sign he had expected something simpler, or for him to look utterly confused.

On the other hand, she didn't know he was planning to train as an engineer.

"Well there's your problem, your formula is backwards here. Nobody could solve this."

Turning it back with the issue highlighted, Astrid's face tightened in focus as she swapped a bit of formula round.

"Wow. That makes much more sense. How did I miss that?"

"It's pretty easy when you have a lot of different letters and numbers all in a tiny font to miss one or two, especially when you _expect_ it to be right."

She looked up, actually smiling now.

"How'd you know that anyway?"

"I want to be an engineer. Math _and_ science geek."

"Nerd!"

Hiccup feigned offence, but he couldn't keep the smile off his face now Astrid was clearly happy to be getting through her work.

"Oh damn, I gotta go, I should have left for work like five minutes ago."

"Well go, go! Don't let me keep you. Catch you later Henry."

Tugging his jacket back on and grabbing his bag, Hiccup prepared to race off to work - it was walking distance, so he never drove to work unless the weather was particularly terrible. Astrid peered up at him from her still seated position, waved him off. Hiccup couldn't help but look back. She was looking right at him, and he saw another spark of the girl from the club when she stuck her tongue out and winked at him.

Oh, he was so very much in trouble.

* * *

The second Lillian entered their shared house, a wonderful scent reached her, stomach grumbling after a gruelling day in class and the thought of cooking horrendous to even contemplate.

"Is that pizza?"

Astrid, looking like some kind of Valkyrie riding down from Valhalla to sustain a hungry mortal, nodded from where she was sat staring at the boxes, obviously having been politely waiting for Lillian to come home while simultaenously emulating a prowling animal ready to strike.

"Yep! I thought we'd check out some of the local delivery places."

"My gods Astrid, you are a lifesaver."

Her sister beamed, nodding smugly.

"Yes, yes I am. So, did you solve that problem you had earlier?"

The instant Lillian cast her mind back to sitting in the coffee place devouring sugary biscuits and trying to figure something out before attentions were diverted by class - and sort of hoping she'd see _him_ again - Astrid picked up on the change, eyes alight as she watched Lillian closely for more details, going so far as to hold a pizza box hostage.

"Well, yeah. I had a ltitle help though."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, that guy was there again. And, as it turns out, a bit of a nerd. He pointed out an error in my formula, and the whole thing just magically made a lot more sense."

Placing the pizza box down, Astrid poked her sister in the arm.

"Cute _and_ smart. _Why_ exactly haven't you made a move on him yet Lils?"

Glaring at her sister in turn, Lillian sighed and gestured vaguely at the bruise on her sister's neck.

"He had a couple of _those._ So odds are he probably has a girlfriend."

"Aww, are you feeling left out? I can fix that!"

Before Lillian could do more than blink, let alone think of a response or a self defence tactic, Astrid had tackled her from the sofa to the ground, straddling Lillian quite effectively and reaching to locate said hickey on herself.

"Astrid, what are you do- oh gods, stop it!"

Squirming and laughing as Astrid pinned her, Lillian was not successful in wrestling herself free before Astrid's teeth had latched on to her throat, demanding suction leaving a stark bruise there on previously blank skin.

"There, now we match again."

Shoving Astrid off playfully, Lillian wiped the wet patch off her neck and crawled back up on to the sofa, reaching for the almost-forgotten pizza and preparing to stuff her face. Not piping hot any longer, the pizza was still plenty warm and very tasty, and Lillian didn't even mind when Astrid stole a slice. Garlic bread and some mozzarella sticks later, the twins were happily lazing, full and satisfied in front of the TV. Astrid had already made herself quite comfortable with a pillow against Lillian's leg, settled there for most of the last episode of CSI.

"I meant to bring this up earlier and then you tackled me and I forgot, but if you think I should be moving in on cute cafe guy, why aren't _you_ making a proper move on hot bar guy?"

Astrid shrugged, rolling over to look up at her properly.

"I don't know. Everything with him is _great,_ and I think given half a chance I could really like him. But I've only met him twice, and conversation wasn't... really a priority. He seems sweet though, and he's a bit of a dork judging by his bedroom. I was honestly a little surprised he kept up with me."

"I'm surprised _anyone_ can keep up with you."

Astrid winked before pushing herself up into a seated position, reaching for her drink. Lillian reached for some leftover pizza, certain she'd regret it but also still drawn in by the delicious scent of bread and cheese and herbs. Sure enough, it was both tasty and regretted.

The incident where Astrid dragged her to the floor had been pretty much forgotten until she went to the bathroom that night, looking in the mirror before washing her face. Running fingers over the mark there, Lillian rolled her eyes. Only _Astrid_ could consider that a normal thing to do. At least they no longer lived with their parents, who would never have understood such a thing. But then, _they_ weren't identical twins. One embryo split into two, they were born like two halves of the same person. At least, that was how the Hofferson twins felt about it. They had met other identicals who did not feel quite so close, but that was them.

That didn't mean they were completely the same though. Astrid was definitely the wild one, and Lillian was the 'nerd' of the two. But they shared - in the words of their mother - their sassy attitude, their lust for life, determination and strength and loyalty. Thus far, they had never had the same taste in boys though. Lillian had heard about a set of identical twins who were both dating the same guy, which she imagined was a _little_ weird at the very least.

Toying with the idea of putting some concealing makeup over the bruise on her neck - Lillian didn't want to have to explain it to her friends during class later - she decided not to bother, and to tell her friends to mind their own business.

"Hey Lils! Are you going to go back to that coffee shop and look for your cute guy again? Maybe I should come, see if he faints from shock. Unless you've told him about me?"

Astrid stuck her head out of the bathroom, stark naked and uncaring. It was hardly something Lillian hadn't seen before, or couldn't see simply looking in a mirror. Shooing Astrid away, Lillian shook her head.

"I might go get a drink, but I'm not going to look for him!"

"Yeah yeah, I believe you. You'll become a caffeine addict before you ask him out!"

"Go take a shower will you? You nagged me enough about taking too long this morning!"

"You do take too long when you deep condition your hair and you know it!"

Rolling her eyes again, Lillian headed off while Astrid was singing - bloody terribly, but very enthusiastically - in the shower, phone buzzing with a text before she'd even reached the cafe.

" _If you don't ask him out, I'm coming with you next time!"_

Tapping out a swift _"go away!"_ to her sister in reply, Lillian headed in for coffee en route. It was definitely an accidental habit she ordered it to drink in... and nothing to do with the fact Henry was sitting over in what Lillian already sort of thought of as 'their spot' - the last couple of encounters, they had both been sat at the same one or two tables.

"This seat taken?"

Henry looked up from a book, face immediately lighting up and _really,_ how was that fair?

"It is now."

His eyes lingered on the hickey Astrid gave her, but it didn't seem to concern him in any way.

"What are you reading?"

"Uh, it's actually a book my mother wrote. But I helped her write it when I was a little boy, and I love the story."

He folded down a clearly worn corner - how many times had he re-read it, she wondered? - before pushing it over, letting Lillian peruse the cover and the blurb, discovering that it was actually a story about dragons.

"Valka? That's an unusual name."

"My mother is a very unusual woman. And she considers that a compliment, don't worry."

He even had a family picture as his phone background, beaming happily stood between a woman who looked just like him and a man who was better described as a mountain, with a beard that looked like it might come to life any minute.

"Most guys have their girlfriend as their background."

Well, that was not subtle of her, but Lillian couldn't help herself angling a little for information.

"Well, I'd have to have a girlfriend for that."

He was still smiling, so she hadn't upset him it seemed. A buzz from the phone still in his hand drew his attention, and he looked disappointed with whatever crossed the screen.

"I'm sorry, I gotta go."

"I've got class soon anyway, so I'm off when I finish this."

Henry got up and dashed off, and it was only when Lillian was putting her own stuff away to leave that she realised he'd forgotten his book. Should she leave it behind the counter for Lost and Found? It was clearly important to him.

What if the coffee shop accidentally tossed it out or stole it? Ok, maybe that was a slightly ridiculous scenario. But Lillian tucked the book into her bag anyway, promising to pass the coffee shop daily until she saw him to give it back. A voice with a suspcious amount of Astrid's all-knowing tone taunted her in her head, saying she just wanted an excuse to see him again. Shushing it, she left for class.

And did not tell her sister about the book. Astrid would only tease her.

-HTTYD-

 **Oh Hiccup. Poor, confused Hiccup. Am I mean to him?**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am loving all the manic "I NEED TO KNOW" response to this. Yes, feeeeeed the author.  
**

 **This chapter is all-girl - Astrid POV, then Lillian.**

-HTTYD-

Dragging herself in after a long, arduous day at work, Astrid grumbled in the direction of her sister en route to the kitchen, seeking something sweet and satisfying to shove in the direction of her face. Devouring the first cookie with haste, Astrid headed back out with a second one in hand, slumping gracelessly next to where Lillian was reading a book they definitely hadn't owned when packing to move. And it was well-worn, aged, not likely a new purchase.

"Whatcha reading Lils?"

Her sister looked oddly caught out, averting her eyes for a second.

"Oh. It's about dragons. I need to give it back."

"To who?"

Pale cheeks flushed.

"It might have gotten left in the coffee shop. I wanted to make sure he got it back. His mom wrote it."

"And you didn't leave it behind the counter for him to get himself because... of course! You want an excuse to see him again."

Glaring at her sister, Lillian huffed and rolled her eyes, twisting onto her side to continue reading without meeting Astrid's eye. The mark on her neck was fading, but still very much there.

"I just want to make sure he gets it back, it's obviously important to him."

"Uh-huh. Just jump on him would ya?"

"No!"

"Why? Did he say he has a girlfriend?"

Still blushing a little, Lillian shook her head.

"No. He specifically said he didn't. But that doesn't explain where he got the hickeys."

"Maybe he had a one night stand. Maybe he has a friend with benefits. Hel, it might have been a drunken makeout with a friend."

All this talk of hickeys and one night stands had one very specific person on Astrid's mind, and even though it hadn't been _that_ long since she last saw him, Astrid was very seriously considering texting Hiccup and finding out when he was free.

"Text him. Call him. Do something that'll make you stop squirming like that."

Astrid hadn't even noticed.

"It's his fault."

"No it's not, you're always like this the week before you get your period. You just have a target this month. Now shoo. Isn't that what you took his number for?"

Sometimes having someone who knew everything about her was a pain in the ass. Finishing her second cookie, Astrid decided to go shower, debating whether self-serving would stop her from going back to Hiccup _already,_ because surely it was too soon?

But then, wasn't she sort of considering getting to know him better? It was settling in that made her not want to start anything serious yet, and the fact Hiccup hadn't met her sister. Twin approval was a big deal - she could _not_ date someone Lillian didn't get along with. Nor would she want to. Although she didn't think anything about Hiccup would immediately put Lils off, so far he seemed like a great guy.

"Screw it."

Astrid tapped out a text as soon as she got out the shower, starting with asking if he ever found her underwear. There was no doubt he'd know who was sending him a message. If she were a worrying type, Astrid might have wondered if he gave her a fake number, in which case someone would have gotten a really strange text. The response came while she was drying her hair, Astrid still naked as she picked up her mobile to see the response. It started with a picture of said underwear, followed by the words

 _"I did, but they don't fit me. I washed them for you, I was wondering how best to get them back to you."  
_

Laughing, Astrid was quick to tap out a new reply.

 _"Well I can come and get them if you want."_

She waited to get dressed - her choice of underwear would depend on whether or not Hiccup sent back an invitation. The insistent tingles in her lower body urged the man to answer positively, fingers of her free hand rubbing at her lower abdomen. Gods, she really was bad when her period was close. Cursing Lillian for being so damn right, Astrid's stomach jumped in time with the buzz of her phone.

 _"If that's you asking to come over, then by all means. I'm about to make dinner if you want to come right over. If not, that's fine."_

Astrid frowned slightly, unsure how to answer that question. When did 'booty call' become dinner first? But then... wasn't she already kind of liking him more than just as a hook up and this might be a low-pressure way to spend a little time with him? He knew what she wanted. It might just be him saying that if she only wanted sex, she'd better give him an hour first.

Dear gods she was overthinking it all.

 _"What's for dinner?"_

Already slipping on a dress and putting overnight things in a small bag - there was no excuse for a walk of shame if Astrid was intentionally going over there to spend the night. Well. She might leave earlier than that. The fact cuddling with Hiccup was awesome was completely irrelevant.

 _"Ladies choice. Chicken salad or steak and potatoes. There's some leftover red velvet cake I made yesterday if you want dessert."_

He cooked? That explained why his kitchen looked more lived in than his bedroom. Astrid had only been in there for water, but she remembered seeing things out on the side, a fancy knife board on the wall.

 _"Can you actually cook a steak?"_

 _"Any which way you like. Family are big fans of large lumps of meat. Is that a buzz for option two?"_

Exchanging a few more messages, Astrid was finally dressed and ordering an uber - he offered to pick her up, but Lillian would never let him leave un-interrogated and Astrid was not ready for that.

For all her concerns that there would be some awkward, slow 'first-date' feelings, Astrid was incredibly relieved to find herself effectively pinned to Hiccup's wall and soundly kissed. _That_ hadn't changed then. His mouth was hot and hungry against hers, hands raking down her back to squeeze her ass and Astrid couldn't suppress a moan, already wet with anticipation and need. How was he allowed this potent an effect on her?

Hiccup growled when he found Astrid's underwear choice of the evening was _none,_ nothing but bare skin under her dress when his hand slid under fabric, stroking her thigh as she shivered with his fiery, demanding kisses and that animalistic growl that rattled deep in his chest. His thumb pressed over her clit, new shudders rolling through her as Hiccup worked her with far too much expert technique. Or maybe she was just far too turned on to care either way so long as he kept touching her like _that._ Fingers slipped insder her, Astrid's muscles clenching around them, hungry to be filled.

Trembling legs and clawing fingers and all sorts of profanities spilling from her mouth, Astrid bucked and arched and pushed harder against his hand, Hiccup kissing her like she could possibly think about breathing right now, twisting and spasming as she came with a shout there and then. The fabric of his t-shirt was bunched in her fisted hands, solid erection digging into her hip, eyes dark and face flushed as he panted in time with her, watching Astrid drag great lungfuls of air in, trying to process the sudden onslaught of torrid pleasure she'd not actually expected to experience before they'd even said hello this time.

"Is this how you always say hello? Cus I could get used to it."

Hiccup smirked, wiggling his fingers that were still buried inside her, leaving Astrid's legs weak at pressure on such sensitive nerves and a pitifully needy sound left her mouth.

"Not sure I could get away with it in public."

"Eh, details."

Holding her gaze, Hiccup finally slipped his hand away and Astrid missed it immensely, body throbbing with fresh heat when he lifted his fingers to his mouth and licked her arousal from his skin. Still weak in the knees, Astrid did her best to straighten up and appear less ravaged than she actually felt.

"I'm sure I was lured here with the promise of steak."

"Lured? You texted me!"

"Like I said, details. Is there food? You're gonna need your strength."

Hiccup nodded, leading her to the kitchen and washing his hands before checking on potatoes keeping warm, then indicating some hunks of meat waiting to be cooked.

"How do you like it? And would milady like sauce?"

Astrid refrained from making the lewd joke she wanted to, stomach urging her to get steak and fuel up for the very pleasant revenge she intended to exact upon Hiccup.

"Just between rare and medium rare. Up to the challenge?"

"No problem."

The way he moved around his kitchen was definitely at ease, comfortable, humming to himself and reaching for things on instinct, barely taking his eyes away from where he was coating meat in butter and a little herb before tossing it into a pan, incredible smells soon complimented by the steak he'd done to perfection for Astrid, potatoes and vegetables on the side and a choice of three difference sauces on the table.

"Are you trying to impress me?"

He feigned innocence as he held up drink options, passing over the can of fizzy drink and a glass when Astrid chose.

"Is it working?"

Astrid shrugged, winked and grabbed a bottle of sauce as Hiccup made his own food, finally perched opposite her to eat.

"I like cooking. Always have. It's a weird mix of organised recipes with the freedom to experiment."

Dumping some red, spicy-smelling sauce on his own steak, Hiccup watched Astrid take a bite, clearly looking for her reaction.

"Good?"

"I'll admit you did it right. Now stop watching me eat."

"Sorry."

The silence as they ate wasn't uncomfortable, and gods the food was amazing. Astrid was mad at herself for having never eaten his cooking before. Pushing the plate away once she was done, Astrid licked her lips and figured she could put him out of his misery.

"That was amazing."

His smile was softer than his usual playful smirks, but it was oh so genuine and Astrid felt her belly flutter.

"Do you want dessert?"

"Later."

The tone of her voice clearly left no doubt in his mind, and Hiccup had barely downed his drink and put the plates over by the sink before they were heading for his bedroom. His eyes were hazy with lust by the time Astrid was naked, backing her up to the bed and tossing her on to it bodily, crawling up between her thighs to stoke that lingering warmth into blistering heat with his rough, searching tongue dragging over tender skin. Powerless against the lascivious assault, Astrid twisted and squirmed and tried to wriggle away from the tearing pleasure, but Hiccup clamped his hands on her thighs, insistent and fast with the damp muscle, lips sucking and teeth nipping at her thigh. The sight of his messy hair and burning eyes between her legs was potent all by itself, her increased sensitivity and arousal only letting Hiccup drive her higher until Astrid was biting back _screams._

Quaking, shattering bliss ripped through Astrid like lightning, probably making his neighbours think Hiccup was killing her or maybe exorcising demons, clawing at his hair, the sheets, nails digging in to her own thigh as she tried to comprehend the powerful climax.

Coming up for air at last as he watched Astrid tremble weakly, Hiccup pressed a gentle kiss to her inner thigh, prying her fingers loose and kissing over the crescent-moon indentations.

"Are you alright?"

"Mhmm. That was... yep."

"Not that my ego is complaining, but you aren't normally quite so... explosive."

His face was still wet with her, his loose cotton lounging shorts straining over an unsatisfied erection that Astrid had yet to even touch despite Hiccup having brought her off twice now. _And_ made her dinner.

"More sensitive the week before my period."

Arousal loosened her tongue, and Astrid had never been shy talking about her body to a sexual partner anyway. If they couldn't handle it, they weren't kept around. She refused to be shamed for such a perfectly natural thing.

"So does that mean you'll be more sensitive _all night?"_

Hiccup was unfazed, wiping his face ineffectively as he slowly crept up her body. Breathless with the look in his eyes and the pulsing need her body was making known yet again, Astrid nodded.

"All night."

Curling fingers around her thigh, Hiccup lifted her leg up over his hip, clothed cock dragging over her swollen clit and hungry eyes watched her body jerk in response.

"Excellent."

* * *

Lillian had finished Henry's book that night, wondering if it would be weird of her to say she liked it or if he'd think she'd taken it intentionally. But his mother really was a talented writer, and the story had gripped her from start to finish. She'd hardly even noticed Astrid disappearing for her booty call.

She kept it in her bag each day when she went out for class or errands, glancing in to the cafe whenever she passed it. Her place with Astrid was now at a point where Lillian could do her work there, but she still liked the coffee and cakes and pastries, so the quaint little coffee shop had not lost her custom. Henry wasn't there for several days, much to her disappointment, but Lillian still stopped in for a takeout coffee a few times, or a cookie and a study session.

It was a week and a half before Lillian saw him again, sporting a smile but no fresh love-bites when Lillian approached his table.

"I think this is yours."

Slipping her bag off her shoulder and hunting the book out, Henry lit up at the sight of it.

"Oh, that's a relief! I wasn't sure if I left it here and the barista said nobody handed it in."

"I wanted to make sure you got it back."

His brow furrowed in confusion, which confused Lillian in turn.

"Took you a while then."

He was still smiling, and looked truly happy to have the book back, running fingers over the front cover as though familiarising himself again with the texture of the worn cover. Tucking it into his own bag after a minute, Henry looked back up at her.

"Did you read it? You've had it long enough."

Lillian nodded, his ask making the choice for her.

"Yeah. It's really good! Does your mom write other books?"

"A bunch. A few travel ones when she was younger, but after she had me it became the stories she told me as a kid."

Finally remembering to go order herself a drink, Lillian sat down opposite Henry, watching how he enthused about dragon stories, always gesturing with his hands and bobbing his shoulders as he spoke. She was incredibly disappointed when her phone buzzed, reminding Lillian she had to get to class.

"Catch you later?"

"Definitely. Thank you for bringing back my book. At last."

Lillian frowned for a second. Should she tell him she'd checked every other of the last nine days to look for him just to give the book back? Before she could decide, Henry cracked up laughing.

"Relax milady, I am kidding. Honestly though, thanks. Now go to class."

As Lillian left, she found herself with a smile that simply would not die off, even when she got to class and her friends noticed her chirpy mood. After the hickey incident ( _thanks Astrid!_ ) and now the perky demeanour, it was nigh on impossible to convince anyone that Lillian wasn't seeing someone. Even though it was true. She wasn't!

"Did you see him today?"

It was always truly concerning to come home and find Astrid cooking, and Lillian edged closer expecting the smoke alarm to be going off any minute as she peered around the door. She was relieved to find Astrid was making one of the few things she didn't turn to toxic or charcoal - pasta. Astrid had obviously been back from work a little while, hair down and soft and a little damp over her shoulders, lounging clothes of a vest and shorts as she stirred the contents of a saucepan.

"Yeah. I gave him his book back."

"Did you ask him out?"

Crossing her arms, Lillian shook her head.

"No, why would I?"

Naturally, Astrid saw through her (admittedly poor) attempt at pretending she had no interest in asking Henry out.

"I told you, if you don't I am going to come down there with you and sit there until he arrives, say I'm you, ask him out and run away so you have to deal with him."

Lillian dared not call her bluff. Astrid would definitely do that. So she left the kitchen instead, wanting to change into her comfies and hunt through the kitchen for something edible. She was saved the trouble, as when she came down it turned out Astrid had made her a bowl of pasta too - complete with a couple of slices of garlic bread on the side.

"Have I mentioned that I love you?"

"Not recently, mostly you've been calling me a pain in the neck."

"You bit me!"

Astrid grinned, utterly unrepentant.

"That was weeks ago. Go back to saying you love me and come watch TV."

Taking her bowl of food along to the sofa, she sat down next to Astrid and, after a mock glare, leant and nudged her sister gently with her shoulder.

"Love you."

"Love you too Lils."

They ate in comfortable quiet, then whiled away the evening laughing and chatting over the TV, topic only turning to boys again as they prepared to go to bed.

"I'm serious Lils, you better be asking this guy out next time you see him. Unless it's like, over the road. I'm not suggesting you scream at him in a crowded street... although I totally would do that."

"Of course you would."

Pushing the thoughts aside for bed, Lillian barely thought of Astrid's threats again until the next time she bumped in to Henry a few days later. Astrid's voice yelled in her head, and it took a considerable amount of self-control not to simply blurt it out when she saw him.

"We must stop meeting like this. Actually, no, we must not. It's fun."

He was still a little awkward and a lot dorky, but it was uniquely charming and each time Lillian saw him, Henry seemed a little more confident around her, more at ease. He would randomly go a little quiet, but Lillian put that down to his occasional nerves. Overall, he was a really nice guy, and he had a lovely smile and he made her laugh, he wasn't intimidated by her intelligence... and while he was _clearly_ checking her out, Henry never leered, and when they were talking his eyes were always on her face. He never pushed physical contact on her either, though Lillian got the impression he was probably a tactile person by the way he touched things a lot.

"Do you come here more often since meeting me?"

Lillian was surprised that she asked herself, and Henry blinked like a mildly perplexed owl for a minute, but she wanted some sort of confirmation he was actively interested in her, not just looking. His cheeks tinged red, just a little.

"Maybe. But they do have really good brownies."

"Oh, so you just come here for the sweet treats?"

Hiding his face behind his cup, Henry shrugged.

"I guess the company can be pretty good too."

They both had to leave around the same time, and as they said goodbye Lillian found herself stretching up to place a kiss on his cheek. She heard Henry's breath hitch - her lips had landed rather dangerously close to his, faint stubble just enough to feel with her mouth, a breath of leather-and-sandalwood aftershave filling her lungs before Lillian retreated. There was a struggle on his face; Henry clearly wanted to kiss her, but he held back.

Not today. But gods, she was definitely asking him out the next time she saw him.

She didn't have much choice; Astrid would definitely do it for her if she didn't. But honestly, Lillian really wanted to. He was just... easy to be around, to smile with, talk to. She just wanted a little time to deal with the butterflies in her belly, to be ready to ask him without coming over all giggly and giddy with the budding crush.

After class that afternoon, Lillian headed home to find Astrid not back yet, so she changed and began to start on dinner, firing a text to Astrid letting her know. Naturally, she was her twins hero when Astrid came home to the wonderful news she did not have to cook.

"I love you!"

"I know."

"Did you see your guy today? What's his name... Henry?"

"Yeah. And no, I didn't ask him out. I will! Next time. Promise. I just... wasn't ready today."

Astrid's face changed from teasing to understanding, slinging her arm around Lillian and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Understandable. And speaking of cute guys, would you mind if I invited _my_ hot piece of ass over soon? I want him to meet you before I decide if he's dating material."

They were going about this initial possible relationship start in very different ways, but Lillian supposed they were after different guys, and Astrid had already surpassed several 'first' experiences with her hook-up that she kept going back to. Plus, Lillian knew Astrid could scare a guy off if she wanted, so Lillian usually waited until after first dates to introduce them to her sister.

"Sure. Just promise to restrain yourselves to your bedroom, if I walk in on you guys having sex on the table I will throw cold water at you both."

"Twins honour. No tables."

"Astrid..."

"Fine! All sexual activity will be restricted to my bedroom."

"Thank you."

Honestly, Lillian all but forgot Astrid had even asked a few days later, coming back from a late study session at the library - her classmate had been struggling to catch up after being off sick, so Lillian naturally offered to help - and realising after a few seconds panic just _why_ her sister sounded like she was being murdered in her room.

Well, she _did_ say that guy was good. Well versed in Astrid being obscenely loud, Lillian simply popped in her earphones and proceeded to go about getting a quick dinner with music playing in her ears, then headed to her room and continued to drown out the athletic escapades with some nice, loud _Nightwish._

Lost in some theory work, Lillian barely noticed time ticking by until Astrid very kindly sent her a text, letting Lillian know that they were going to bed and so the noise would stop. Sending back a joking one about how Astrid must be getting old if she was done by barely gone midnight, Astrid quickly quipped back with something along the lines of "if you tried him, you'd know how much of a workout we got", to which Lillian simply replied with "go to sleep!" and tossed her phone aside, slipped her headphones off and puttered around to get ready for bed.

Next morning, Lillian got up, brushed her teeth and heard footsteps head to the bathroom not long after, shower running and she figured Astrid and her late night friend probably made a mess of each other. Leaving them to it, she dug through the fridge and cupboards, lamenting that they needed to go food shopping soon and only cheering when she located both eggs and flour, deciding to indulge and grabbing chocolate out of the sweet cupboard too, happily mixing up some pancakes for breakfast.

For a second, Lillian didn't pay much mind to arms sliding around her waist - Astrid was always all over her, especially where food was concerned. Then the arms belonged to someone with a voice very, _very_ not Astrid.

"Morning."

She screamed, more out of shock than fear. Holding her spatula ready as a weapon, Lillian whipped around, utterly perplexed both by the sight of _Henry in her kitchen_ , and the fact he clearly wasn't in any way indicating he should not be there, touching her like he'd never touched her before - even if it was just a hug.

"What are you _doing_ here!?"

Henry frowned as he was shoved backwards, looking Lillian over - defensive posture, weaponised kitchen implement. Had she misjudged this guy so bad she'd not noticed he was the type to stalk her - how else did he know where she lived? - and break in to her house? He opened his mouth to answer, but they were both interrupted by a wet, stark naked Astrid, wielding a hair straightener over her head and looking around for a threat.

"I heard screaming!"

Tearing her eyes away from the surprise shower-escape-twin, Lillian looked to Hiccup, who was looking between both of them with a very clear confusion on his face, which was oddly pale, freckles standing out more starkly.

"There... there's two of you."

-HTTYD-

 **Oh no. Whatever will Hiccup do!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I will have you know I only spent two hours staring at this when it was an entirely blank document. Then I stared some more after writing an authors note.  
**

-HTTYD-

For a solid minute, nobody said a thing. The only sounds were breathing, his quicker, shallower, hers slow and deep and calming, her sisters slowing as she regained her breath from the rush out of the bathroom.

"Astrid, did you invite him here?"

"Yeah? This is the guy from the bar. I asked if it was ok to invite him over... right?"

Lillian felt something click into place, shaking her head.

 _"This_ is Henry."

Astrid's eyes widened, and Henry was still looking between them both as though not quite sure what he was seeing was real.

"No, he- Wait. My bar guy is your cafe guy?"

"Apparently."

"Hold that thought. I'm cold."

Lillian wasn't surprised - Astrid was still shower-damp and naked. She vanished for a minute, leaving Lillian with Henry, who was still looking remarkably thunderstruck.

"I... I am sorry for, you know, earlier. I wouldn't have- if I knew."

He seemed genuinely distressed by the accidental touching, but it was already weighing heavily on Lillian that the only reason Henry had even _spoken_ to her in the first place was that he thought she was _Astrid._ She'd met him right after Astrid had come home from her one-night-stand, still healing from her sisters dominant streak. All the while she'd been growing attached to him, in his mind he was just talking to the girl he was hooking up with.

Astrid came back out, dressing gown around her body and towel-dried hair loosely braided. Since Lillian hadn't answered him, Henry looked increasingly uncomfortable, shuffling and frowning before he seemed to settle on a course of action.

"I'm just... gonna go get dressed."

In her shock, Lillian had barely even registered that he was shirtless, bite marks on his chest, scratches down his back and even around his waist and hips. Practically fleeing up the stairs, he disappeared toward Astrid's bedroom. Pancake mix next to her was starting to go sticky, so Lillian added more water and re-stirred it for something to do, a much more soothing embrace than earlier coming in the form of Astrid wrapping arms around her shoulders.

"Hey. You ok Lils?"

She didn't even have to say it; Astrid undoubtedly knew what was upsetting her twin. Stirring the pancake mix more aggressively, Lillian shrugged.

"Fine."

"You want me to kick him out?"

Honestly? She did. But Lillian also knew her sister was starting to really like this guy, and the way Henry had been with her whenever they were in the cafe, she had no doubts he really liked Astrid too. So, in the interests of her sisters happiness, Lillian shook her head.

"No, it's fine."

Astrid didn't believe it was fine, Lillian knew that by the huff her sister let out, the way arms squeezed her tighter. The fact she went off and told Henry to leave anyway, because she needed to talk to her sister. Parts of their conversation filtered through to her as she moved around the kitchen, looking for plates and silverware so pancakes could be consumed immediately after cooking.

"... told you I had a sister."

"-ver said identical..."

It was probably unfair to be upset that Henry didn't know they were two seperate people in the first place, but that didn't really change the fact he'd never been honestly interacting with Lillian. Just Astrid.

She heard the front door close as the first batch of pancake was finished, flipped and full of gooey chocolatey bits as they landed on a plate. Astrid entered the kitchen again, hugged Lillian to her once the second set of batter was poured into the pan and squeezed her tight until she got the "ooof!" noise she wanted, giggling.

"You didn't have to kick him out."

"Yeah I did. You're upset."

Shrugging Astrid off so she could flip her pancakes, Lillian pushed the first plate over for her sister.

"I just... he thought I was you. All this time."

"That's kind of my bad. I never told him we were twins."

Astrid retrieved syrup from the cupboard - strawberry for Lillian, toffee for herself, sitting back down to start on breakfast.

"I heard. But it's not that. It's just... he wanted to talk to _you._ That's the only reason he approached me to begin with. No wonder he was so nervous the first time we met, he was probably trying to work out why you were acting like you didn't know him."

Pouring the sweet, sticky substance over her fresh, hot pile of fluffy breakfast food, Lillian sighed as Astrid chewed thoughtfully.

"I know how you feel."

Lillian raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Well, I know he likes fucking, but I have no idea if he _likes me,_ or likes the me he thinks I am because of you. Since, you know, you guys have had a lot more in the way of conversation."

They ate in relative silence for a few minutes, but Lillian's stomach continued to churn slightly.

"If you wanna go for it, don't let me stop you."

"What are you talking about Lils? I'm not gonna date a guy you like too."

Licking syrup off her fork. Astrid looked at her like she was crazy, already eyeing Lillian's unfinished pancakes. Astrid had more appetite than Lillian, but her job was physical and she was pretty much always on the go, only stilling for sleep or to flop in front of the TV. Even then, she fidgeted and poked Lillian a lot.

"I don't really know that I do. I mean, the way he was with me was _aimed_ at you. And you know what? He didn't ask what my name was."

That was what stung her the most, really. Clearly knowing which of them was Astrid, he'd stood there and apologised for touching her, but hadn't even asked what he should call Lillian. It felt very... final, like he had no real intentions of interacting with her in the future. And why would he? Lillian wasn't the sister he was sleeping with. It didn't seem like much choice to her which twin Henry would lean to - the one he was clearly enamoured with the adventurous sexual appetites of.

And Astrid liked him. Had met him _first._ It made total sense for Lillian to be the one to withdraw from the equation.

"No. I'm not hurting you. And like you said, he didn't ask. So I don't think he passes the grade of getting along with you for boyfriend material."

Astrid was clearly stressing points to make sure Lillian knew she wasn't going to date Henry, and while Lillian appreciated the sentiment, her sister really was infuriatingly stubborn.

"It's not hurting me. I want you to be happy."

"I am happy you dolt, I have you. Who needs men?"

Pushing the leftover food over to Astrid, she giggled when Astrid drowned the strawberry syrup out with toffee, to the point Lillian questioned whether or not her sister would be able to even taste the chocolate chip pancakes beneath.

"I mean it Astrid. Don't not date him just because he likes you more than me."

"For all I know, he likes you more than me."

"Doubtful."

"Hey" Astrid nudged her, waiting for Lillian to look properly at her "I mean it. He kept coming back to the cafe to see you."

"No he didn't. He kept coming back to see _you._ "

Finished with Lillian's leftovers now, Astrid got up to get a drink, sighing dramatically.

"I didn't think it was possible to accidentally pull the ol' switcheroo on _ourselves._ How did we not realise it was the same guy?"

The twins told each other everything, so the fact they didn't put clues together was surprising, she supposed.

"Well, you call him Hiccup and I call him Henry. That was probably a start. Plus you were talking about a hot guy who liked your aggressive sexuality. I was talking about a cute dork with dragon books and awkwardness."

Astrid handed her a glass of juice, sitting back down with her own drink.

"Which is all the more reason I think its you he really likes. You're both nerds."

Rolling her eyes, Lillian indicated the bite marks littering skin exposed by her loosely tied dressing gown.

"I could argue the same, since you both appear to be vampires."

Grinning cheekily, Astrid downed her juice and hopped down from her stool.

"I like it rough, that is not news to you."

"True."

Much as they could probably go back and forth with their equally stubborn natures, both had things to do that day and, since meeting the guy Astrid was seeing had been replaced by surprise, shock and pancakes, Lillian pondered her to-do list.

"When do you have to go?"

"Not for a few hours yet, why?"

"Supermarket? We're low on a bunch of stuff."

Out together as children, strangers had cooed over the 'adorable twins!', and then as teenagers boys had asked if they wanted threesomes, so they could compare just how identical they were. Both girls had punched several, and they could never get in trouble for it because the teachers could never prove which one it was. Now, as adults, people just sort of... stared. Which they were used to anyway. If anyone ever approached and asked if they were twins, they would answer "no" just to watch the confusion.

Regardless, there was something deeply therapeutic and easy about being with Astrid, traipsing around the aisles talking future meal plans, Astrid picking up all the usual sources of protein and sugar that fuelled the wild twin. Living together wasnt' even a question. They would have to be married with kids and unable to _fit_ in the same house to live apart. Even then, Lillian wouldn't be surprised if they simply decided to look for one of those places that was two houses connected by the same back garden or something.

"So, who's back first tonight?"

Astrid asked as they unpacked shopping, not even needing to really look to know the other was handing them something, naturally in sync as they always were. Calculating her class schedule, Lillian answered.

"Uh... me. Any special dinner requests?"

"Not pancakes?"

Laughing, Lillian agreed to the ridiculous 'request', separating from her sister for the day to get ready to go to class.

And if she intentionally left late enough that going via the coffee shop would make her late? So be it. She wasn't ready to deal with Henry yet.

When Astrid brought him up over dinner that evening, Lillian's disinterest was clear and her sister dropped the matter quickly, which was hugely appreciated as the two watched a movie, then went to bed. Next morning, Astrid taking the turn to make scrambled eggs on toast for them both, Lillian acknowledged that she was being ridiculous. Tapping her fingers against the side, she and Astrid talked it out some more and settled on the course of no action - Hiccup/Henry had not been in their lives _that_ long. They were fine before him, and would be quite fine without him. After jokingly lamenting that she'd miss his pert backside, they went about their day.

Determined not to let the guy get to her, Lillian went to the cafe, ordering her favourite flavoured coffee and something sweet, then set herself up at the table to work. There was a bittersweet note to the environment now, but she was resolute. Chewing on the slice of red velvet cake bite by bite, Lillian lost herself in her work for a while... until a voice interrupted her focus.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Looking up to see Henry looking incredibly nervous, Lillian shrugged.

"If I say yes, will you do it anyway?"

He frowned, shook his head. Astrid's bitemarks were still fading on the skin of his throat, her attention drawn there by the sharp bob of his Adams apple as he swallowed thickly.

"No."

Gesturing vaguely, Lillian turned back to her laptop.

"Whatever."

He sat down, and she spent a good minute or so highly aware he was just _looking_ at her before giving up and looking at him again.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to ask you your name."

"Why? You weren't interested in my kitchen."

Henry had the good grace to look slightly guilty then.

"I know. I was... thrown, to be honest. Trying to pull apart these two people in my mind that had, until then, been the same person to me."

Easy as it was to simply just be annoyed with him, Lillian knew part of it was that she was hurting inside, hurt that he'd been seeking Astrid, not her. And, with no knowledge of the whole identical twin thing, she supposed it wasn't really his fault.

"Lillian. My name is Lillian."

"Nice to meet you Lillian. I'm Henry, but most people actually call me Hiccup."

Remembering a conversation with her sister, Lillian eyed him shrewdly.

"Did Astrid send you here?"

His face was so genuinely baffled that even before he answered, she doubted it.

"No? I mean, she hasn't spoken to me since I left your house, and I've been respecting that. I just wanted to know your name... I'll leave you in peace now."

And with that, Henry got up with his take-out cup of coffee and left her there. Lillian watched him go, mind whirling until her laptop beeped, demanding to be charged. Saving her work, Lillian winced as she downed cold coffee, took her things back up to the counter and left. Back from her run, Astrid had already showered and changed and was lying on the sofa with a half-drunk protein shake nearby.

"You ok Lils?"

Before she'd even said more than 'hello', Astrid could tell something was up.

"I uh... I saw Henry."

Astrid sat up straight, head cocked.

"Was he a dick? Shall I go to his house and kick his ass? Shall _we_ go to his house and kick his ass? He wouldn't be sure he wasn't hallucinating after a bit."

Unable to suppress a laugh, Lillian shook her head as Astrid dragged her down to the sofa, leaning over her in something that was between being hugged and simply being pinned down to keep her there.

"No, no and _no._ "

"Spoilsport. So what happened?"

"He asked me my name. That was it, really. Then he said something about having to pull one person apart to make two, and that he'd leave me in peace. It was kinda weird, actually."

"Huh. Well. Can't say he didn't ask your name now."

Shrugging that off, Lillian slumped deeper in to the very comfy seating beneath her.

"You should go see him. Sort things out."

Astrid opened her mouth - probably to argue - then closed it again, face wrinkling in thought before she sat up, nodding.

"Actually, that's a great idea. Let's go see him."

-HTTYD-

 **Ugh, the writers block was _real_ this chapter. But here. A chapter. I present it to ye.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Well, I am continually surprised by the response to this fic, I thought HTTYD fandom had died. Guess the HTTYD3 trailer brought some back...**

-HTTYD-

Lils had been reticent, but Astrid managed to convince her to come along to Hiccup's place. It made sense. The twins could go back and forth forever trying to work out if he liked one or the other of them more, but the simplest way was to just... ask him. And then, since Astrid was actually pretty confident in the answer, maybe Lillian would see sense and actually pursue the guy. It wasn't _that_ often Lillian was interested in a guy, not really. She was fiercely intelligent and that seemed to intimidate a lot of guys, and it took work for anyone but Astrid to get her to open up much at all.

So this guy had to be special for her to be so upset - try as she might to hide it - with the idea that Hiccup had been looking for Astrid, not her. If it came down to choosing her sisters happiness or her own, well, there was no question for Astrid. So she tapped out a text to him, asking if he was available. It was the first contact _she_ had had with him since the kitchen incident, and he answered pretty quick to say that he was on his way home, would be there shortly and had no plans to go anywhere else for a while.

Memories of the first - and second, and _third_ \- night came to Astrid as they headed there, seeing where they'd barely been able to even get the front door open because frantic kisses had been too tempting, too distracting. His hands dragging over her body, mouth tracing curves and dips...

If Lillian dated him, she was in for _quite_ the treat when they made it to bed, Astrid decided.

"Hey."

Hiccup opened the door promptly after it knocked, stepping back and inviting the two inside. Astrid wondered if the neighbours recognised her and were trying to work out which of the identical twosome was the one they'd _heard_ Hiccup with a few times now.

"Can I uh, can I get either of you a drink?"

Astrid already knew he was naturally a host-type, when he'd invited her for dinner and had such a set up going to streamline it all. Both answered affirmatively, so he had his head in the fridge when Astrid spoke.

"You have a new rug."

"Actually, that was there the last time you were here. I got it when I went lamp shopping."

He withdrew from the fridge holding two different cans of drink - Dr Pepper in one hand, fizzy cherry in the other. Rather than ask, he cocked his head, working them out - they were both dressed in hoodies against the cool weather, and Astrid wasn't sure if the faded marks on her neck were visible between thick hood and hair braid resting loosely around her neck. He placed them down in front of them silently, surprising them both - he hadn't asked what they wanted, but handed each twin their preferred drink correctly.

"Can you tell us apart?"

Hiccup shrugged absently, shoulder blades visible against his jumper with his hunched position. Nervous. Unsure.

"I... _think_ so? I mean, I sort of always thought something was different in the coffee shop. I just didn't know there was anybody _to_ tell apart."

Lillian picked up the can in front of her, eyeing Hiccup shrewdly.

"How did you know I like cherry?"

"You told me."

A refillable water bottle was his choice, uncertainty giving him dry mouth if the constant sips were anything to go by. Lillian looked surprised that he remembered - she clearly didn't remember telling him.

"So... can I clarify something? It was always Astrid in the club and who took my number? And Lillian in the cafe?"

The twins nodded, watching the way his eyes slid from one to the other, observing their synchronous motion.

"Yep."

"I thought so, but I wanted to check."

The word 'check' reminded Astrid why they were there, and after a swig of chilled, sharp-tasting fizz, Astrid set about asking.

"Speaking of checking, that's actually why we're here."

"Oh?"

A reason definitely intrigued him, gave Hiccup context for the sudden appearance.

"Yeah. We wanted to know which one of us you liked more. We couldn't decide."

Lillian glared at her for a second, disapproving of Astrid's blunt, brash question. Astrid pulled a face right back, then smiled when she saw something similar tugging at the corners of Lillian's mouth.

"I... I don't think I can answer that."

Astrid raised an eyebrow, leaning forward to rest her head on her hand.

"We won't be mad. Just curious."

"No, I mean, I _can't_ answer that. How could I? I don't _know_ either of you."

Sharing a glance with Lillian, Astrid saw similar confusion in her twins face.

"We are sitting right here you know."

Hiccup frowned, then his face lit with understanding.

"Oh. No. Not what I meant. What I mean is... I knew this other person who was a little bit both of you, and even then I didn't know her that well. Now I know that person that I... that person doesn't exist. And I don't know either of you as the person you actually are. So how could I have any idea which one I liked more?"

He gestured a lot as he spoke, Astrid noted. Hands flapping, shoulders and arms always bobbing and moving, fingers pushing his choppy, almost-too-long fringe out of his eyes or tapping against the edge of the side.

"Do you want to?"

Until then, Lillian had been relatively quiet. Both Astrid and Hiccup looked at her in surprise.

"W-what?"

"Do you _want_ to get to know us? As individual people, I mean."

Hiccup looked very confused.

"Well, yes, but what am I gonna do? Ask you guys to politely both date me until I can pick a favourite? That isn't exactly respectful of me, is it?"

Astrid continued looking at her sister, wanting her answer too.

"Fair point. But I was actually talking about getting to know each other as people. I don't remember mentioning dating."

Astrid wondered how that would work with the current basis of her and Hiccup's relationship being entirely sexual. She still wasn't totally certain they had much more in common than that, while Lils and he were both nerds who could geek out together.

"Oh. Oh. Uh. Yes? I mean. If that's ok with both of you."

Lillian looked to her then, seeking Astrid's agreement to it too. Instinct to cater for Lillian's happiness urged Astrid to say no, insist the two of them work on whatever was budding between them, but then getting to know Hiccup for herself was a good idea anyway, wasn't it? That way, she could be certain he was good enough for her sister.

"Fine by me."

Slightly awkward silence reigned for a minute or so, which bored Astrid as she drank more Dr Pepper before nudging her sister.

"So, idea girl, what do you think is our next step?"

Lillian nudged Astrid back, rolling her eyes.

"Well I have a study date to get to for next weeks test, what you guys do with your time is entirely up to you."

Astrid followed her sister to the door, hugging her goodbye.

"You sure you're alright Lils?"

"Mhmm. Be safe."

She winked at Astrid, gesturing in the direction of where Hiccup was politely letting the twins say goodbye to each other privately. Astrid rolled her eyes, mock-shoved Lillian.

"I am capable of self control you know."

"Mhmm. Just try and squeeze _some_ conversation in there, hm?"

A very sensible part of Astrid suggested she should leave too, maybe spend some time with Hiccup in a public place where there was no choice but to behave in a friendly, public-decency way.

Unfortunately, that sensible part was very small and growing quieter each minute when, after checking Lillian knew how to get back from where they were, Astrid went back to where Hiccup was tidying his kitchen. He wiped his hands on a tea towel, faced Astrid with questions in his face.

"So, are we hanging out now?"

"Unless you have better plans?"

Hiccup shook his head, hands bracing on the side behind him as Astrid approached, restraint visible in his frame as she leant closer.

"N-nope."

"Good, because" Astrid smirked inwardly as the sensible part of her brain silenced entirely "we're meant to be getting to know each other."

"Uh-huh."

Whether Hiccup was actually capable of holding a conversation with her _that_ close to his face, Astrid never got around to finding out, opting instead to kiss him. They could always do the whole talking thing later.

* * *

After finally surfacing from his bed, Astrid and he _did_ have an actual conversation. It was fairly simple stuff, that he was rather surprised to realise they didn't know about each other, like their jobs, hobbies, _surnames._

But then, Hiccup hadn't even known she had a twin. They really didn't know much about each other at all. Except he knew how she took her steak.

"Is it ok if I pass your number on to Lils later? So you guys can make friends properly. Unless you want to continue relying on coincidental meetings in the cafe?"

Astrid quizzed, leaving Hiccup to merely shrug.

"I guess? But only if she wants to... this feels so weird."

"Why?"

Hiccup gestured to the two of them, sat very close together on his sofa.

"Because... I don't know, it just feels like this is the sort of thing that shouldn't be happening. Where does sex come in to actually getting to know you?"

Astrid shrugged herself then.

"If you want to stop, then that's fine."

"I didn't say that. I guess I'm just wary of how this makes me look to Lillian."

It didn't seem like the best impression to make on someone he'd agreed just before she left to start over, to start learning about individual people, not the mixed up girl he'd been crushing on that wasn't quite real.

"The last thing Lillian said to me before she left was to be safe. She knew this would probably happen. The only issue that would come along is if you tried to get equally _friendly_ with her."

"I won't."

Astrid grinned, mischief sparkling.

"I know you won't. If you did, I'd be the first to hear about it. Perhaps after a doctor, who you would need to see after Lillian kicked you someone you probably don't want kicked."

Hiccup winced, certain that Astrid was being quite serious.

"Can you really tell us apart?"

Hmm-ing to himself in thought, Hiccup nodded.

"Yeah. You might look the same and sound the same, but you don't act the same. You don't hold yourselves the same. Lillian's neater, and she has the posture of someone who is used to hunching over books, but also knows that's bad for her back and tries to sit up straighter."

"That's oddly specific."

"My mom's a writer. It's a very specific issue she's had for years."

He thought she knew that, but then remembered that it was Lillian who he had told about that, Lillian who had read the book he left behind. This could get confusing.

"Still... very Sherlock."

Hiccup smiled.

"I won't swear I'll never get it wrong, especially if you guys decided to try and test me to see if I could, or if it was just a passing glance. But I will always try."

Astrid mock-gasped, placing a hand on her chest and doing her best to look scandalised - effects ruined slightly by the laughter she was fighting.

"We would never!"

"Uh-huh. I believe you."

"Ok, maybe once or twice."

Chuckling, Hiccup was definitely sad to let Astrid leave, but she had a PT session to get to. Flopping down on his sofa, he dragged a hand over his face, groaning. The last few days had been fraught with tension and nerves, and now things seemed better - though not totally resolved, he supposed - he had the time to think straight, to catch his breath.

Lillian had been the one he'd really _talked_ to, that witty, spunky bookworm in the coffee shop, who smiled when he talked about his family and made his heart flip when she kissed his cheek. But he'd been conflating that with the wild, slightly feral Astrid in his bed (and against his door, and wall, and shower...), and so it hadn't really been a completely unbiased meeting. Each time she was especially sparky, Hiccup saw it as a small sign of the dominant woman who jumped him. And when he'd invited Astrid for dinner, eager to get more time with her, he'd been basing a lot of _that_ on his ability to be so content in Lillian's company without sex, not necessarily Astrid's.

So when they turned up, asking who he liked better - for reasons he still wasn't totally sure about - Hiccup answered as honestly as he could, not actually expecting either of them to suggest he take his time, that they would sort of wait around for Hiccup to pick a favourite. Most guys, he imagined, would immediately turn to Astrid, since he was still apparently getting the hot sex thing from her.

But that wasn't strictly what he was interested in. More a very, _very_ pleasant bonus. He wanted those quiet, soft laughs Lillian let out when he cracked an absolutely awful joke. He wanted the animal who climbed in his lap in a car park and showed no shame for being caught by the bouncer. The challenge to both his head and his heart. Astrid brought him out of his shell a little, but Lillian climbed right on in there with him to discuss baking cakes and solving equations.

Both of them were incredible, fierce women who were utterly amazing in their own right - he could see that much already.

And apparently, he was meant to _choose?_

-HTTYD-

 **It's a tough life, being a Hiccup when an evil evil Harker comes along to toy with his emotions!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Jimmix - no, seriously, a bunch of other fanfic authors who are varying stages of popular all agreed with me that there was a dip in overall response for months before the HTTYD3 trailers came out. Though thanks for the indirect dig that the reason my response went down was that my writing was no good. Super appreciated.**

 _ **Anyway...**_ **on we go.**

-HTTYD-

He was doing it again.

Lillian knew Hiccup - it sort of suited him better, really - wasn't doing it on purpose, that he'd been conditioned to certain responses toward someone who looked just like her, but it was madddening to have his eyes drop to her mouth when she spoke. He seemed to catch himself and stop, but still.

On the other hand, he also did the thing of looking both twins over completely every time they saw him now, finding subtle differences Lillian hadn't even known were there to be noticed to others eyes, telling them apart with relative ease. They'd switched outfits to try and trick him once, when he came over to their place to fix Astrid's computer, and he _noticed._ It didn't even take a minute. He flat out asked why they'd switched.

Right now though, they were alone, sat a respectable distance apart on his sofa while Hiccup waited for something to cook, and jokingly talking about the mishaps and misunderstandings that took place when he didn't know she wasn't Astrid. It still stung a little to talk about, but he was still sweet and funny and sassy with Lillian now he knew, and even though he was definitely still sleeping with Astrid, he never pushed any form of physicality on Lillian. Let her initiate a hug goodbye or a kiss on the cheek.

"No wonder you liked my t-shirt."

"It's mine! Or was. It seems to mysteriously live at your house now."

Lillian smiled, warmed by how quickly and genuinely he returned the expression.

"Since you're here, by the way, did you want to take a look at my moms other books? I have them all. Autographed and everything."

"You have your moms autograph?"

He laughed, shrugging and running a hand through his hair.

"Well, I figured it would be something I would do with any book I liked as much as those if the author was not my own mother. So I asked her to sign them. They're all dedicated to me anyway."

"Are they?"

Lillian must have missed that. Hiccup nodded, standing up and leading her to where a bookcase crammed with tomes on just about every subject imaginable seemed to live. And according to Astrid, he had two more in his bedroom just like it. The top two shelves housed what was clearly a collection, the top shelf mostly with the names of places or animals on and a little scientifically-accurate black panther serving as space-filler for the gap at the end. The second shelf was all story books.

"The top shelf are from before I was born, or at least, from things she did before I was born."

"Wow. How old was she when she had you?"

"Uh, twenty? She grew up in Australia, so she spent a lot of time going out looking for poisonous things or going on wild camping trips with her dad. Then the travel bug stayed and she just kept going all over the world for a few years. Met my dad on a trip to Scotland when she was nineteen. Married and parents within a year. Mom finished up a few books while I was a baby, then when I was about three she started writing down the stories she told me, or that we made up together."

"Wow. Are they still together?"

He shook his head, plucking a book from the second shelf.

"They divorced when I was seventeen, but they are still best friends. I mean, they come over for dinner on the same nights and they hang out together and stuff... I guess I'd say they still love each other, but they aren't still _in_ love with each other. So they did away with the legal stuff, date other people and get to enjoy the friendship they spent twenty odd years building."

Still very much the awkward nerd Lillian was starting to crush on before realising that they sort of had to start over, Hiccup was surprisingly happy to open up to Lillian if she asked about things. He flipped open the book, held it up for her to see.

 _"For my very own little dragon, who gives me all the adventures I could ever need."_

"That's so sweet!"

Under the little dedication were two different signatures, one an elegant looping autograph and the other a rather wobbly, childlike scrawl that was just legible enough to read as 'Henry'. He rubbed the back of his head a little self-consciously.

"I wanted to be involved. These are actually printed in to a special edition of the books, mom has the originals. But if you want, you're welcome to borrow any of them. Just let me know which one you have so I know it's not missing."

"Are they in a special order?"

"Some. I have them in order of publishing, but these two" he tapped two dark red covers "are one and its sequel and those four" he ran his fingers over a soft teal set at the end"are part of an ongoing collection."

"You'll need a bigger bookcase."

"I know! I told mom she's going to ruin my organisation, and that she'll have to write enough to fill at least half of another shelf."

Giggling as he pretended to be put out, Hiccup glanced at the clock.

"Better check on the food. Feel free to peruse my bookshelf."

He slipped off to the kitchen, leaving Lillian to look over what was apparently only a third of his book-collection. He might have even more, just not on bookshelves. When they moved, Astrid only had two boxes of books. Lillian had _six._ She still hadn't gotten around to organising them all yet. Books seemed to multiply of their own volition.

Books on dragons, books on dinosaurs, books on all kinds of science seemed jumbled in amongst books on art and insects and food and even blacksmithing... Lillian knew a bookcase could usually tell about a person. This bookcase said Hiccup was one very strange individual, but that really only added to his charm. The scent of very tasty food reached her from the kitchen, but Hiccup came back sans food much to her stomachs disappointment.

"About ten more minutes. And I had a weird thought pop up while I was in there."

"Oh?"

Hiccup shuffled nervously, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"One of the times in the coffee shop, you had a hickey. Astrid has complained you don't date. So... can I ask about that? Or is too early in our friendship?"

Remembering her own angsting constantly over the steady stream of lovebites Hiccup had sported and whether or not it meant even considering pursuing him was a very bad idea, she couldn't help but laugh at the absurd circumstances that led to _that_ particular bruise on her neck.

"That was Astrid."

"Oh. Oooook then."

Yeah, she figured that might sound a bit strange.

"It was your fault! I saw you and you must have just seen her cus both of you had hickeys and Astrid thought she was funny, saying I must feel left out so she jumped on me and bit me."

Hiccup was fighting laughter now, she could tell by the way he bit his lip and his mouth tried to stretch at the corners.

"I am... going to go set the table."

His voice was an octave higher thanks to his suppressed mirth, and he made a quick exit before she heard him trying to stifle the laughs in his hand in the kitchen. Rolling her eyes, Lillian picked up the first book on the shelf of stories by his mother, smiling again at the dedication and his little printed child-signature. When Astrid had talked of the guy she'd picked up in a bar and fucked before they even got to introductions, Lillian could never have envisioned him being such a sweet, dorky guy. Hel, she'd explicitly said that sort of guy wasn't going to be her type. And yet...

"Lillian? You wanna come through?"

Hiccup called out to her, so she headed in to the kitchen where he'd just pulled the lasagna out of the oven, having already put out salad and side vegetables when Lillian walked in.

"Can I help?"

"Uh, sure, want to get drinks out of the fridge?"

Astrid hadn't been lying; he _could_ cook incredibly well. And he looked very happy to see she was enjoying her food, mostly silent but it wasn't awkward and there was small talk and a few giggles.

Honestly, it was kind of perfect.

"Oh man, that was so good."

Hiccup beamed, really too adorable for his own good like that. He took her plate and put it over by the sink, placing leftovers in the fridge or in tubs to cool before looking over at Lillian.

"You want dessert? Or too full and just want a drink and a movie?"

Her stomach was pretty full, but after that amazing dinner Lillian was certain she'd harbour lifelong regret if she turned down dessert right now. She was a Hofferson. She could handle it.

"What's for dessert?"

"Well, depends what you want. I have ice cream, cookies, cakes or I can make you something specific. I didn't make anything in advance because I didn't know how hungry you'd be. But once I learn what you like, I will endeavour to always deliver."

Settling on cake, Lillian was both glad and disappointed he only served a small piece each - it was easy on her full belly, but also so good she could probably have eaten an entire cake and not actually cared about the stomach ache. The sponge was light and sweet, just enough filling, the chocolate icing rich and indulgent and judging by the look on Hiccup's face, Lillian was pretty sure she'd made some kind of sound effect that let him know she really, _really_ enjoyed the cake. His pink cheeks only made him cuter.

"So. Uh. Good?"

"Amazing! Seriously, I want to chain you to our kitchen so you can cook every day."

"I take that mild threat of kidnapping as a compliment."

Kitchen tidied - Lillian helped, since she'd helped make the mess - they retired to the living room for a movie with drinks, and though she was the one who had specified that Hiccup was only supposed to be getting to know her as a friend, she was increasingly tempted to simply crawl into his lap and curl up there. Or to kiss him, to see if the chocolate tasted sweeter on his lips than it had on her fork.

It was the only time she was a little put out by the fact Astrid was still regularly intimate with Hiccup. If Lillian actually initiated anything with him, she would be undeniably sharing a guy with her twin. And they'd agreed...

Mind battling back and forth, she'd missed half of the movie before Lillian shoved thoughts aside and shuffled closer, Hiccup hesitant to move at first but when he wasn't rebuffed, his fingers stayed loosely wound through hers, joined hands simply resting on the sofa between them. It was little to nothing, really, compared to everything Astrid and Hiccup done - largely on the first night they'd met! - but he showed no signs of comparing them, of some kind of resigned patience as though putting in the work to get both sisters in to bed. He just looked happy to be there with her, completely content with the simple hand-holding.

When she finally accepted that she needed to leave so she could be up for class in the morning, Lillian felt her stomach fluttering as they headed to the door still holding hands, reluctant to let him go but she couldn't exactly take him with her. Well. She could. But that might be a little weird.

She gave serious thought to kissing him goodbye. So much so that they stood, tension in the air and staring silently for what felt like hours before Hiccup seemed to sense her reticence, her doubts, and leant forward of his own volition. Her heart pounded anxiously, unsure how she'd react if he kissed her. Her fears were allayed, however, when Hiccup simply kissed her forehead, letting go of her hand to reach over and unlock the door for her.

"Goodnight Lillian."

"Night Hiccup."

Standing outside to head home, she couldn't resist looking back to see Hiccup watching her, waiting for her to be safely in the car before he went inside again. He smiled, gave a little wave when she was behind a closed door, finally sliding into shadows as his front door closed at last. Lillian slumped against the back of her seat, sighing deeply.

She was in trouble.

-HTTYD-

 **This was meant to be a short and accidentally became a story and now I keep just throwing nonsense into the void so here's some more.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Jimmix - Yeah, Hiccstrid does better, I know that, but even my Hiccstrid stuff (and everyone elses, because that's what everyone else writes too) has had less feedback. I didn't mean to hurt you, but yeah, I wasn't making the comment that the fandom was half-dead from nowhere. It's how a lot of people felt.**

-HTTYD-

"Good book?"

Lillian looked up at him, and gods strike him down if she didn't have the sweetest shy smile he'd ever seen. She was holding one of his mothers books, looking different to all the times he'd seen her with her laptop working away. Reading made her look equally absorbed but far more relaxed.

"Very good book. I'll have to thank the guy who recommended it."

She held the book carefully, had a bookmark resting on the table ready to mark her place. Hiccup had owned the books for years, and their wear and tear and his bad habit of folding down corners had taken their toll, but Lillian held it and treated it like it was incredibly rare, or brand new. Special. He slid into the seat opposite her, holding a take-out cup - he had to leave for work soon, but spotted a head of blonde hair and couldn't resist saying hi.

"I'll be sure to pass that along."

Her teeth closed over her lower lip for a second before she smiled again, and Hiccup cursed the tiny motion and the way it made his stomach flutter. Placing the bookmark on the page she was on, Lillian closed the book, laid it down on the table before reaching for her own drink.

"So, what are you doing with your day?"

"I have work, and then I don't know if she told _you,_ but Astrid told _me_ that I'm coming over your house to make dinner."

"She didn't, but I am _not_ complaining."

Feeling a short laugh bubble its way out of his chest, Hiccup grinned.

"Glad to hear that. I better get going, but I'll see you later I guess?"

"Yeah. Do you need anything picked up to feed us?"

"Nah, it's fine, I picked up everything I needed last night."

Lillian watched him go, winking when Hiccup offered her a smile and the butterflies in his belly kicked into overdrive, demanding he go back there and kiss her. Telling them to be quiet, he headed off to work, Eret making his usual comments about the fact Hiccup generally had a fading bruise _somewhere_ if he'd seen Astrid in the last few days. Which he had. Between seeing them together and seeing them apart, Hiccup saw at least one of the twins four or five times a week now. It was getting harder and harder _not_ to tell his parents about it all, but honestly Hiccup didn't really know what he'd say.

He barely understood it himself.

If anything, every day he spent getting to know the individual women with the identical faces, Hiccup became more and more certain that the very idea of _choosing_ between them was impossible. The more he knew about them, the more he liked them both. The logical conclusion, he supposed, would be to say he just wanted to stay friends with them both. Although since friendship seemed to include regular sex where Astrid was concerned, Hiccup wasn't entirely sure how that would work out in the long term, or even whether Astrid would consider there to be a cut off point where they stopped that.

A little absent-minded with his confusion, Hiccup hissed as a sharp scrap of twisted metal nicked his finger, the wreck he was working on salvaging apparently keen on getting his undivided attention. Even with his gloves on, it was mindful work and his wandering thoughts had cost him a small trickle of blood. Eret heard him swearing, cracking a few jokes even as he dragged Hiccup to the sink, running his finger under the tap and bandaging his cut up, adding a nice little strip of tape around his plaster to stop any grease getting into it.

"There you go, all better now!"

Despite his roguish humour, Eret had a bit of a caregiver complex, and also happened to be qualified in everything from basic first aid to advanced survival first aid, because he came from a family who liked extreme hobbies. So if anyone got hurt at work, Eret was usually there in a flash taking care of it.

"Thanks buddy. I'm all good now."

Putting on a new set of gloves until he could fix the others, Hiccup resolved not to lose focus again as he freed a few busted engine parts from their crushed compartment. Regardless, he was happy to be leaving the place-full-of-sharp-stuff, heading home to shower and change and pick up the stuff he needed for going over to the Hofferson twins place. Lillian let him in, that damned shy smile etching itself firmly in his mind as she led him through to the kitchen. Astrid was already there, drinking what he recognised as a protein shake meaning she'd probably only recently got in from work herself.

"Look, dinners here!"

"That sounds vaguely threatening, like you're actually going to eat me."

Astrid stuck her tongue out, then grinned cheekily.

"I have not ruled it out as an option."

"Look at me! I'm skinny. There's no meat on me. I'd be very unsatisfying."

Only after the words left his mouth did Hiccup realise the possible double entendre, and both twins burst out laughing before Astrid quipped back.

"Oh, I don't know about that."

Shaking his head as Astrid leered, Hiccup chuckled to himself as he started unpacking the bag of stuff he'd brought with him, immediately garnering interest from two people very very fond of his cooking already. They didn't like all the same foods, but there was enough overlap for Hiccup to have relative freedom in what he made without one of them hating it.

"You want any help?"

"Nah. Might have to ask you where something is, but I'm fine with cooking."

Insisting it necessary if they didn't want the food to somehow explode, Lillian chased her sister to the other side of the kitchen, far away from any preparations going on. Being overly dramatic and not even a little subtle, Astrid stood up and gestured broadly.

"I see how it is! I'll leave you two alone."

Lillian's cheeks flushed as she glared at her sister, and Hiccup did his best not to be caught staring, dragging his eyes down to where vegetables awaited their slicing and dicing. Before he could start, Lillian had his hand cradled between both of hers, eyeing the fresh dressing he'd applied after showering got the previous one wet.

"What happened here?"

"Oh, I cut my finger at work. It's fine, just has to be kept clean and that's not easy in a garage."

She lifted his hand, pecked a kiss on the injured finger. The small motion made Hiccup's breath catch, everything silent and intense for a few seconds before Lillian looked away, clearing her throat and moving toward a nearby seat.

"As you were."

His brain took a minute to connect again, still fixed on that little spot of tingling warmth on his finger where Lillian had pressed her lips. Finally returning to what he was doing, Hiccup began slicing a few onions and mushrooms up, dumping them in a frying pan of butter to soften while he worked on the rest of the prep, occasionally poking the mixture to ensure it was evenly done. Lillian started giggling after a few minutes, confusing him.

"What?"

"You hum when you cook, did you know that?"

"My mom says I do, yeah. Why is it funny?"

She shrugged.

"I think its sweet is all."

Smiling despite himself, Hiccup requested the location of an oven tray, then dumped all the ingredients in together, mixed in some seasoning and stuck it in the oven to cook. It gave him plenty of time to clean up after himself, trying to think about anything but the way Lillian's mouth was slightly puckered in thought about something and how badly he wanted to kiss her. It didn't _help_ that she looked just like Astrid, that he could picture with crystal clarity how it would look to lean in, to feel soft pink lips on his own. But it wasn't just that. Hiccup wanted to know how _Lillian_ kissed, if she'd be as demanding as Astrid or more of an equal, perhaps yielding as often as she pushed back. Would she be handsy? Squeeze at his back and shoulders, or bury her fingers in his hair? Would she make those soft mewls in the back of her throat?

Rubbing his face, Hiccup immediately regretted that as residue of some ingredient or other stung his eye, grunting in pain and immediately having the attention of his kitchen-mate audience.

"It's fine, got something in my eye."

"Sit."

She pushed him into a seated position, returning with a damp tea towel and moving his protective hand to wipe his eye clean. When he could finally see clearly, Hiccup realised just how _close_ she was, able to smell the fresh-cotton scent of her deodorant, the strawberry mist she spritzed on her clothes overpowering even the lingering aroma of spices that filled the kitchen. Lillian noticed too, eyes flickering between his mouth and somewhere around his fringe, not quite able to meet his gaze.

"My gods whatever that is smells ama- oh. Sorry. Not interrupting am I?"

Astrid's voice shattered whatever weird energy was in the air, and Lillian answered her sister with a curt "no" before she moved away from Hiccup.

"He got something in his eye."

"Yeah, at that height it would be your boobs if you ever got them out."

"Astrid!"

Being around identical twins was quite an experience, and came with a learning curve; they were closer than pretty much any other two-person unit on the planet, and the way they interacted took some getting used to. Which included Astrid's crude jokes usually aimed at her sister, and Lillian's exasperation as she rolled her eyes fondly in response.

"What? I have great boobs. Which means you do too. Identical and all."

"Yes, but not all of us feel compelled to live by the motto 'if you've got it, flaunt it'."

Astrid put her hands on her hips, giving Lillian a very disbelieving look.

"You're a filthy liar, you wear tight jeans to show off the hard work of many squats."

As the one with a physical job and a love of running, Astrid had more definition and tone to her, but Lillian was health-conscious and walked a lot, plus she went to the gym two or three times a week, and the shapely thighs and backside she framed in dark jeans showed it. Before his mind tumbled too much further down that particular thought train, Hiccup got up to check on dinner, stomach rumbling happily at the tantalising smell that hit him when he opened the oven door.

"Oh wow that smells so good. Is it done yet?"

"Nope. Fifteen or twenty minutes yet."

"That's forever!"

"It's that or you can eat the undercooked chicken."

Pouting, Astrid's face only shifted when Lillian licked her finger, then wiped it on Astrid's face and ran for it.

"I'm gonna get you!"

"You gotta catch me first!"

Hiccup could only watch with faint bemusement as they chased each other around the house, stopping only when one twin was tackled to the sofa by the other and pinned down. Lillian grumbled as Astrid cheered victoriously, leant down and licked Lillian's face in revenge.

"You're so gross!"

"Oh be quiet. You started it."

Hiccup had to look away. It felt intrusive to watch them too long, and the individual images they painted - Lillian on her back, cheeks flushed, eyes wide as she panted, and Astrid leant over, chest heaving as she pushed down with her weight... they _did things_ Hiccup and it was probably inappropriate of him to be so aroused watching siblings interact.

Instead, he rooted around the kitchen searching for plates and cutlery, setting three out and a couple of serving bowls for salad and potatoes alongside it. They were done first, passing the time until Hiccup could pull the main course from the oven, prodding the chicken to check it was done through and being satisfied that it was.

"Is it done now?"

"Yes!"

"Finally! Come on Lils, food awaits!"

"I'd have been able to move sooner if you weren't sat on me."

Entering the kitchen being dragged along by her twin, Lillian wriggled her wrist free and went for the cupboard full of glasses, pouring drinks out while plates were filled with food. So attuned to each other, Astrid and Lillian didn't even need to look to exchange the serving bowls to add the extras, though when they did they smiled at each other.

By the time dessert had been imbibed and the kitchen tidied up, Hiccup was sat watching the twins playfully fight over what should go on the TV. The glass of wine they'd each had with dinner was not enough to get them drunk, but it did appear to have given them both the giggles as they wrestled until the remote control fell to the floor, both diving for it and laughing as they tumbled.

"You're both mad!"

"I am not! I just don't want to watch another documentary!"

"Well I'm bored of action movies full of giant man nipples, so we'll have to settle somewhere in the middle."

"So we're looking for a documentary about nipples?"

Astrid headed up to bed first, the look that told Hiccup he was very welcome to follow her subsituting for any actual words as she made for the stairs. He went to get some water first, more comfortable in the kitchen now he'd cooked in it. He bumped into Lillian on his way back out, looking all soft and sweet in her unicorn-patterned pyjamas and her hair slung over one shoulder, free of its usual braid.

"Sorry, didn't realise you were there."

She smiled, waving off his apology.

"It's fine. Just wanted to get a drink before bed."

Seeming a little surprised by her own decision, Lillian stretched up and kissed the corner of his mouth, breath heavy with mint and leaving a cool tingling breath across his cheek.

"Night Hiccup."

"Goodnight Lillian."

He leant down to kiss her forehead - she seemed to like when he did it before - but Lillian leant up, whether on purpose or not he wasn't totally sure, but when his mouth pressed to hers her response was very unmistakable, deliberate. His questions of earlier were quickly answered by the steady pressure of her cool-mint lips, by one hand on the back of his neck while the other tangled in his hair, by the warmth of her lithe frame pressed against his, by the weak whimpers in the back of her throat. His own hands weren't sure what to do, settling on her waist as a shy tongue swiped his lower lip, a groan escaping him with no consult from his brain.

It was enough to jar Lillian though, and she pulled back with her face undecipherable, taking steps back before she moved around him with several inches clear space.

"You should go... Astrid's waiting."

"Lillian-"

"It's fine. Go."

Hiccup had been contemplating that he really ought to get out of whatever... whatever thing it was he was currently entangled in, before things got too deep to easily get out because he feared somebody was going to end up hurt.

The desperate kiss from Lillian told Hiccup that it might already be too late for that.

-HTTYD-

 **OK I really need to go work on my other stories THIS STORY NEEDS TO GET OFF THE BRAIN ahhh**


	10. Chapter 10

**Special mention for ShipMistress and her unwavering support of this story, especially in the form of screaming.**

-HTTYD-

It took Hiccup a little longer than Astrid expected for him to come up and join her. Brushing her hair free of its braid, Astrid turned when Hiccup entered the room but didn't really move in closer.

"Everything alright Hiccup?"

"I uh... I don't know."

Placing her brush down, Astrid turned around, seeing the look on his face properly. Confused, dazed, unsettled. _Worried._

"What's wrong?"

He frowned, but when Astrid patted the bed he came over, sat down stiffly. There was no actual answer for a minute, instead Hiccup simply stared at her face for a minute, taking in her features and the way he did so told Astrid that whatever was going on, it was probably to do with Lillian.

"I... she... we kissed."

"You and Lils?" he nodded "and... that's bad?"

Hiccup cocked his head, considering her.

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Well, it doesn't bother Lils that we still fuck, so what do you think?"

Actually, it did sort of bother Astrid, but not for the reason Hiccup probably thought. She wasn't jealous. Hel, she'd actively encourage Lils to drag the scrawny dork to bed if she thought her sister would listen. But if Hiccup and Lils were moving forward at their awkward, mutual-pining and seemingly oblivious to how much they liked each other pace, then her own thing with Hiccup probably had an end date being etched on it.

Still, Hiccup needed a friend right now. And Astrid wanted details.

"It's just... I think she regretted it. And so I feel bad. Did I push her?"

"Well, did she hit you?"

"No?"

"Then no, you didn't push her. What did she say?"

Hiccup hesitated for a few seconds, and Astrid was fairly certain he was weighing up breaking Lillian's confidence against the solid likelihood Astrid would find out anyway, since the twins told each other everything.

"Just that I should go, and that you were waiting for me."

They were ridiculous. Honestly, Astrid figured she should just try knocking their heads together. It might make them see sense. Gods, if Lillian had only met him first...

"Just that?"

"Yeah. I tried to talk to her, but she told me to go anyway."

"Then she wants her space. Leave her be for now."

Tangled up as much as the three were in whatever weirdness was budding between them in a mixture of ways, even Astrid wasn't going to try and get physical with Hiccup while his mind was clearly on Lillian. So instead she pulled him down under the covers and settled on him in an octopus-like cuddle, which he seemed to appreciate greatly.

"Night Astrid."

"Night Hiccup."

He hadn't only been cultivating friendship with Lillian; he'd become a friend of Astrid's too. They didn't have the same common interests as the geek-pair did, but Hiccup was engaging whenever he spoke, and they spent as much time together _talking_ as they did in bed. Hel, maybe more. So comforting him when he was all confused was the sort of thing a friend did, and the way Hiccup wrapped his arms around her, clutching Astrid to his chest as he did... it was more intimate than if he was inside her, because she knew Hiccup was emotionally vulnerable and _still_ he felt safe enough to be so, with her.

Hiccup's mouth caught on hers, the taste of menthol Astrid knew wasn't his cold on her lips as she kissed him back. It was slow and soft, almost like Hiccup needed to know Astrid didn't hate him and sought her reassurance. Only when she gave it did Hiccup settle again, still with his arms tight around her. They'd been cuddlers since the first night, never questioned, but Astrid still liked the way he felt around her.

Lillian had an early class, while neither Hiccup or Astrid needed to go anywhere until midday. Still, Hiccup got up early so he could make breakfast for both of them, and how Lillian resisted the urge to kiss him with pancake batter on his face, Astrid would never know. Not that Hiccup and Lillian really looked at each other much, averting eyes like they were in trouble. Or more likely, denial. Stalking her sister to her room, Astrid stood in front of Lillian's door, trapping them both in there for the moment.

"Whats going on Lils?"

"I'm trying to get dressed?"

"Not what I meant. He told me you kissed him so why are you acting all weird?"

Her sister huffed, hunting through a pile of folded fabric for the t-shirt she wanted to put on.

"I'm not. I just... you know what, I don't have time for a trip into my own psyche right now, I have class. Can we talk about this later?"

"Sure, but we _are_ actually going to talk about it. I _will_ tie you down."

Rolling her eyes, Lillian shrugged on a hoody and picked up her bag.

"We will. But I need to go to class."

As if to compound that she wasn't actually trying to avoid Astrid, Lillian hugged her goodbye, pressed a kiss to her cheek before demanding Astrid get out of her way. Feeling relieved that Lils was very much still herself, Astrid let her go, following her down to where Hiccup painted the picture of domesticity, cleaning the kitchen while the sisters talked.

"Is Lillian alright?"

"Yep. She just refuses to be late for class. I'll talk to her later."

Hiccup had his thinking face on the entire time he was doing the washing up, drying his hands on a tea towel Astrid tossed to him before leaning against the side. They hadn't done anything the night before, but they had only seen each other a couple of days ago and Hiccup still bore a few bruises on his chest and collarbone, fading red lines healing on his back.

"What's on your mind?"

"I just hope Lillian doesn't hate me now. Not that I want you to hate me either. But you're still talking to me."

"She doesn't hate you, you mutton head. Like I said, she needs her space."

It was kind of weird; Hiccup was looking to Astrid, his regular friend-with-benefits, for answers on his pining crush on her twin sister. And Astrid, who cared about him a lot, and who prioritised her sisters safety and happiness over all else, was trying to work out how to reassure him without guaranteeing anything that would then put undue pressure on Lillian.

"So... what do you wanna do with the morning?"

Hiccup left a couple of hours later, after a really lazy morning of cheesy TV watching and little else. They didn't talk about Lillian, or much of anything really. It was quiet save for laughter, but comfortable, some fairly good proof they could be around each other and get along without exchanging bodily fluids.

It would probably serve Astrid well to remember it when Hiccup inevitably ended up dating her sister properly. Speaking of which... Lillian would be home soon.

* * *

It was getting ridiculous.

Lillian had been sat near his house for the better part of twenty minutes, wholly intended to go in and... she didn't even know. But lurking near Hiccup's place only made her feel like a massive stalker, and Astrid's words about going there and figuring things out as they went were ringing in her head. It wasn't like her. Lillian liked to make decisions based on solid facts and information. All she had was the burn of Hiccup's kiss still imprinted on her mind, and that churning feeling in her belly that urged her on, told Lillian to march in there and... and...

"Hi."

His front door opened to reveal a slightly surprised Hiccup. Maybe she ought to have called first. Or texted. Not just... appeared at his door all jumpy.

"Hey."

"You uh, wanna come in?"

He stepped aside to let her pass, Lillian acutely aware every time she stepped through that front door that the wooden rectangle had borne the very start of all the madness they were entangled in; had Astrid not picked Hiccup up for a hookup that night, then odds were Hiccup would never have sat at her table in the coffee shop, and therefore never have met Lillian.

"I wanted to apologise. I shouldn't have kissed you and-mmph!"

His next words were muffled against her hand as Lillian sought to silence him.

"Shut up."

If she didn't do this now, surging with adrenaline and her sisters blessing, Lillian doubted she'd have the nerve again anytime soon and she _needed_ this... clarity. Hiccup didn't protest, surrendering to her drawing him down, tasting something sweet on his mouth as they kissed. Last night had been an accident, a surprise, a lightning jolt through her heart and Lillian couldn't hope to have processed it all at once. But now? Her mind and body agreed wholeheartedly that this was intentional.

Hiccup was more hesitant, tentative than she expected; she'd seen he and Astrid kissing, and there was more demanding heat there than there was now, but she realised quickly. He was learning her, finding the differences, not falling back on what Astrid liked and figuring it was close enough when they were so alike in many other ways. Burying her fingers in his hair again, she held him in place and kissed that stupidly tempting mouth until she was dizzy. Hiccup's ragged breaths fanned over her face, sweet and fruity to match the taste she'd found on his tongue, his forehead resting against hers.

"Wow. Ok. Wasn't expecting that."

Unsure how to respond other than to continue trying to _breathe,_ Lillian kissed him again. Hiccup groaned against her mouth, the sound winding down through her like warm honey to settle low in her stomach, shuddering as his hands slid around her back and pulled Lillian tighter to him, emboldened by the repeated kisses.

"I like you, ok? A lot more than I meant to. Why do you have to be so bloody dorky and adorable and amazing?"

Seeming a little dazed, Hiccup took a minute seemingly to even notice she was talking, let alone to process what she actually said. The words had sort of rushed out of her. For all Lillian knew, they'd come out garbled and senseless.

"I like you too. A lot."

"As me? Or as Astrid?"

"What?"

His fingers, previously stroking lazily over the dip of her spine, stilled. Lillian steeled her nerve; she needed to know.

"Am I just... close enough to Astrid? Or do you actually like me for _me?_ "

"You. Gods, for you. You're smart and funny and you have the cutest concentration face when you're working, and I love that even though you're quiet you are never afraid to speak your mind."

He was babbling. Lillian reckoned he'd probably continue if she let him, but body overrode mind to push her forward again, satisfied Hiccup liked Lillian as an individual person, not simply as the lookalike of his current partner.

They didn't talk about that part. It wasn't the right time.

Hiccup didn't try to move them anywhere, seeming happy to kiss her in his hallway with no further motive, letting her indicate if there was... _more_ to come. Forcing herself away from his mouth, Lillian looked up into deep green eyes, arousal dilating his pupils and reddening his cheeks.

"Where's your bedroom?"

She'd never been in there. Astrid could probably find her way there blindfolded by now. But it was her first time there, and Hiccup guided her along the route slowly, distracted by kisses and breathless smiles before she finally found herself at the door between them and his bed.

"Hey" Hiccup nudged her cheek with his nose, made her look up at him again "we don't have to do anything. I won't rush you."

Lillian genuinely believed him, and that was enough for her to answer.

"I do, but... go slow? I haven't... in a while."

Hiccup kissed her soundly, sweetly, fingers cradling her jaw tenderly.

"If you want to stop, you can tell me alright?"

It made sense that they go slowly, letting the heat simmer under skin as they laid across his bed, fully dressed and mouths moving. They didn't have that same frantic desire that Hiccup and Astrid had, instead it was a slow burn, building for weeks by then and Lillian wanted to bask in the warmth of it all, not let the blaze climb too much that it couldn't be sustained, that their first time together be a burn out.

Was it ridiculous of her to feel shy when Hiccup ghosted fingers along the hem of her top? Probably. Hiccup noticed her hesitation, backing off and moving his fingers back up to her neck, stroking tingling touches down over her throat, smiling against her mouth when Lillian squirmed. She pushed him back, reaching down herself and tugging up the fabric, watching the awe and attraction written plain as day on his face as her mostly-bare torso was revealed. For a minute, she wished she'd raided Astrid's underwear drawer for something a little more... flattering? But then, that wouldn't be _her_ he was getting. It would be Lillian trying to be more like Astrid.

"Have I told you before how beautiful you are?"

 _Why_ did that make her so giddy? Lillian felt herself come over silly, hiding it in amongst fresh kisses and reaching for the t-shirt he had on. Hiccup wriggled until he could help her remove it, skin hot under her hands, unable to help but look at his freckled skin up close for once. The bruises gave her pause, but Hiccup ducked his head to catch her mouth again, distracting her and pulling her close so their warm, bare skin could meet.

His hands slid over the outside of her jean-clad thighs, but there was no ulterior motive in his touch beyond nesting himself there, leaning over Lillian now, letting him rest his weight on one arm, leaving the other free to roam her skin. She could _feel_ him, body shaking slightly in a mix of nerves and anticipation. Hiccup's eyes followed his hand, seeing which spots came up ticklish, which made her shiver in pleasure, finding that little tingly place on her side that brought goosebumps up across her skin.

The flexing motion of his wiry shoulders drew Lillian's hands to him in turn, tracing over his upper arms first, muscles more solid than she'd expected for his slim size. Hiccup's eyes found hers when Lillian's fingers found the marks on his back, still healing.

Was he hoping she'd be rougher? Did Lillian have to match up to Astrid to satisfy him? Him liking it rough and hot and heavy was not really up for debate; else why would he have continued going back to her? Lillian liked that _sometimes,_ but not all the time, and it certainly wasn't the mood she was in now. Hiccup, still watching her face, seemed to sense some internal debate going on.

"You don't have to be anything other than yourself. I only want you to do what comes naturally, what feels right. Ok?"

His words relaxed her, left Lillian more open to his touch as Hiccup rested back on his knees, surveying her with only the tips of his fingers rubbing the outside of her thighs, the touch barely there and completely frustrating. Finally, they splayed over her hips.

"May I?"

Gods, he _asked._ Heart kicking in her chest, Lillian nodded, lifting her hips to help him remove her jeans. It was only then they realised neither had taken off their shoes, but Hiccup quickly tugged those off her feet with a laugh before her jeans were gone too. His bottoms felt a little scratchy and rough against her sensitive inner thighs, but Hiccup's mouth on her neck was electric and her world seemed to dissolve to just that point for a moment, gripping tight at his forearm until Hiccup moved back to her mouth, stopping first to pepper ticklish kisses on her jaw.

Her bra soon melted under his hands, leaving her heaving chest bare as she quivered under his gaze, big hand closing over her breast and palming her gently. Lillian gasped, unfairly sensitive there and the rough, work-worn skin of his hands didn't help matters, rasping lightly over soft and pliant.

"You like that?"

Lillian could only nod, biting her lip to try not to make some kind of embarrassing noise. Hiccup's free hand came up, thumb working her lower lip free of her teeth, soothing over the indentation of her bite.

"I want to hear you."

His fingers scraped over her nipple, dragging a hungry sound from her throat and green eyes lit up in response, repeating the motion and being very rudely in the way as Lillian squirmed, unable to squeeze her thighs together with him still knelt between them. Her hand flexed against his bicep, having landed there at some point while she was distracted by those lancing darts of heat. Hiccup kept going, touching her again and again, the briefest, cruellest respite found in him letting go only to replace his hands with his mouth. Soft and warm and wet, his lips closed over her nipple and _sucked,_ the sudden jarring pleasure enough to make Lillian shout, shaking under his hungry demands for her pleasure.

Her fingers twisted in the sheets beneath her, panting harshly between those pathetic, desperate mewls and moans. Rather than be put off by her uncommonly wanton behaviour, Hiccup seemed to revel in taking her to pieces, watching her tremble with those intense green eyes of his.

"Would you mind if I took these off? Only I am _dying_ to taste you properly."

Really, it was unfair that _here_ Hiccup was less awkward, the dorky dragon geek clearly some kind of comfortable when it came to talking about sex. And his words _did things_ to her, the vision of him doing exactly what he said enough to make Lillian wetter, her underwear already ruined before Hiccup slid them down her legs and tossed the sodden cotton over his shoulder, crawling up along the bed until he was laid mostly flat on his belly, pressing tender kisses to her slick inner thigh.

The first swipe of his hot tongue was almost too much, so sensitive she was to him already, tightly wound by his attentions to what felt like every other inch of her so far and finding her fingers clutching his head as her hips bucked up. Apparently not quite close enough, Hiccup slid his hands under her thighs, hiking her legs over his shoulders and wrapping his arms around her hips to physically haul her ever closer. There was no escape, no repreive, his unforgiving tongue darting and stroking and tasting and Lillian doubted the beast would be calmed by anything less than her coming completely undone for him.

He wouldn't wait long.

One hand left her hip, worming into the minute space between his mouth and her body so a finger could slip inside her with ease. The second took a little work, her muscles tightening with the promise of an explosive climax. Gods, she'd never known any man so eager, so ravenous to have her tumble to ecstacy in great, crashing waves. It was impossible to deny the building tides, the thrusting of his fingers against the sensitive spots within an obscenely perfect companion to his tongue until both came together to break her completely.

Overwhelmed was a gentle word for what Lillian felt, body shuddering with aftershocks that zipped along her nerves, limbs jelly-like and useless as she fought for control of her racing heart and ragged breathing.

"So... was that ok?"

For a minute, Lillian could only look at him incredulously, as though the twisting of her body and pleading of her voice could have been misconstrued.

"More than."

Hiccup beamed, wiping his mouth on his discarded t-shirt before letting Lillian drag him back up the bed, kissing him and trying to pour all the unexplainable feelings and gratiude for the whole mind-bending orgasm thing into it. _Damn._ Now she could see why Astrid was never quiet when Hiccup was over.

"If you're tired or too sensitive, we can stop. It's alright."

Lillian shook her head, determined not to leave his house until she'd experienced him fully.

"Just... be gentle?"

Hiccup nodded, drawing her back into a kiss.

"Of course."

They were all but silent as Hiccup's jeans and boxers came off, leaving him naked as she and twitching, sensitive to even the slightest brush of her fingers over his swollen cock. Lillian rubbed her hand in slow strokes, pumping him and feeling the way he pulsed in her hand, straining toward her as Hiccup whined and whimpered, fists rigid at his side as he fought not to insist Lillian go further than the slow exploration.

She wanted to return the favour, but doubted she could really match the shattering bliss Hiccup had given her. Nor did Lillian think he was going to last terribly long, and she'd not have much chance to draw it out. Which was the fun part, really.

He pulled out a condom, letting her take it from his hand and gasping lightly as she rolled the latex down his shaft. Hands slid up her back, tumbling Lillian gently back to the bed, looking up as Hiccup laid between her spread legs, the length of him slipping against her wetness and watching as she quaked with the pressure on such sensitive skin. She could see Hiccup considering pulling away, saying they could wait and disagreed with her body, sliding her legs up to hook around his waist.

"Slow."

He nodded.

"Slow."

Even slow, it was intense, almost too much as Hiccup inched inside her, letting Lillian clutch at his upper back for an anchor until his hips came flush to hers. Letting out a breath she'd not realised she was holding, Lillian felt his forehead rest against hers, heard shuddering breaths drag in and out of his lungs. The tension of muscles in his back told her he was struggling to reign in the urge to just thrust until he came, to go slow as she'd asked.

Finally, his hips flexed, the motion so short it couldn't be called a thrust but it was _enough,_ enough to make him whine with the feel of her wet heat on his pulsing cock and make her shiver, feeling him press deeper inside her. Her body was out of practice, still remembering how to move but Hiccup was endlessly patient despite his own pressing need, thrusting with measured slowness and stilling if she tensed, pecking kisses on her face to soothe her until Lillian leant up to catch his mouth with her own.

How was someone she _knew_ could be rough - Astrid spared **no** details - so sweet and tender with her?

Uncomfortable craning her neck like that, Lillian rolled them onto their sides, his thrusts a little more shallow as she wrapped her leg over his hip but the height adjustment he needed meant they were eye-to-eye and oh, that was _much_ better.

Not content to have left her a writhing, melted wreck only once, Hiccup's hand left her waist, slid down to press against her clit and she caught his smirk as she moaned before her eyes fell closed, unable to keep them open against the steady onslaught of his thrusts and touch and kisses and just that it was _him._ The damned gorgeous nerd who'd slipped into her life by mistake, crept under her skin. All the denial in the world couldn't help her now, not with Hiccup pushing her higher, higher, _higher..._

His guttural, cursing noises as she came were those of relief as much as rapture, holding out for her and barely lasting a dozen more thrusts before Hiccup was bucking and jerking against her, both of them grabbing blindly at the other, holding tight as the feelings surged, grip only loosening as the torrid rush subsided, ebbing away to leave them limp and panting.

Gods, nobody had made Lillian feel like that since...

No. She couldn't think like that right now.

Hiccup rolled over to dispose of his used condom, but he was back within holding range seconds later, wrapping her in his arms and running fingers along her sweaty face, brushing her hair aside lazily. They stayed like that, just coming down from the high, his heartbeat slowing gradually beneath her ear. Finally feeling her nerves settle slightly, able to tolerate touch again, Lillian sat up and tossed her bedmate a smile.

"I have it on excellent authority that you're generally good for more than one round."

Hiccup chuckled, fingers absently brushing a healing bitemark on his chest as though agreeing with her.

"Really? Can't imagine where you heard that."

-HTTYD-

 **Well, at least now Lillian got laid too!**


	11. Chapter 11

**I get this mixed sense from reviews that about half of you have worked out where this is going and the other half have some entirely different idea. It's quite an experience. We shall see.**

-HTTYD-

Of all the things he didn't expect a real difference in between Astrid and Lillian, sleeping was one of them. _Astrid_ was the sounder sleeper, Lillian a little fidgety and occasionally making unintelligble noises. She was still asleep when he woke the next morning, smiling to himself before reality threatened to jar him.

How exactly had he gone from considering breaking the whole thing off to spending the night in bed with Lillian? Gods, he was in such a mess now. While not the feral lusting siren her sister was, Lillian was passionate, responsive, not above begging and pleading when he got her hot enough, remembering those breathy words as her fingers buried in his hair and her body shook.

Morning erection twitching at the memories, Hiccup shushed it, reckoning that after admitting she'd not had sex in a while, Lillian may well be a little sore after last night. That second round had become a third...

"Morning."

Her sleep-soft voice murmured, adorably drowsy blonde burrowing tighter against Hiccup's chest to leech his warmth. He returned her embrace, fingers lingering on the bare skin of her back. Hiccup had offered her something to sleep in, unsure if Lillian was quite so happy to wander the house naked as Astrid had been, but she declined, slipped back between the covers to sleep nude.

"Hey."

They probably ought to get up and maybe have a conversation about what last night meant, and where it left Hiccup and the undercurrent of expecting him to eventually make a decision between Astrid and Lillian.

The choice felt more impossible than ever, laying there with her weight warm and cosy against him, mewing happily when Hiccup ran fingers through her hair.

"I didn't really think this through. I should have brought a toothbrush."

"You could use Astrid's... is that a weird thing to say?"

Lillian cracked an eye open, peering up at him through her messy fringe.

"Astrid has a toothbrush here?"

"Well, I had a spare. She used it the second time she stayed over, and I left it there when she implied we might see each other again. Just in case."

Curling back into him, Lillian laughed lightly.

"Fair enough. Yeah, I'll use hers. But first" Lillian pushed the covers down, cruelly exposing sleep warmed skin to the outside air "I meant to do something."

It wasn't _arctic,_ but the air was brisk on a naked person. He felt Lillian's nipples harden in response to the chill, but she seemed less put out about the cold than him.

"Do what? Let me freeze?"

"Well, no. But if you'd rather have the covers than me warm you up, just say."

She was remarkably awake and coherent all of a sudden, and Hiccup's belly flipped as he realised her intentions.

Apparently, conversation could wait.

"Uh... no?"

Lillian winked, reaching to retrieve her hair bobble from the side and tying her hair out of the way in a loose ponytail before Hiccup's legs were nudged open, giving her space to settle there between them. Slender fingers curled around his shaft, stroking him gently until his hips flexed and pushed up, seeking more grip, more friction, more _anything_ but the slow, maddening almost-nothing touches Lillian was giving him now.

The first contact of her mouth was exquisitely hot and soft, tongue swiping over his tip and lips tipping up into a smirk when Hiccup gasped. His fingers flexed and gripped intermittently at the rumpled sheets beneath, in time with the way Lillian flitted between sucking the head of his cock mercilessly and backing off to just run her tongue or lips over his twitching shaft. He squirmed, panting, acutely aware by the look in her eyes that _this_ particular blonde planned on torturing him.

In a very pleasant way, but torture all the same.

Slow, deliberate head bobs had her mouth slip back and forth over half his cock, those soft pink lips passing repeatedly over the edge of his glans, tongue flicking out against his frenulum as Lillian stroked the rest of his shaft with her hand. The lewd _pop!_ sound as she pulled off almost undid Hiccup, that wet gasp from her making his cock throb with need. Her saliva made each pump of her hand slide much easier, speeding her motions just enough to make Hiccup whine, slowing down before anything built up too much. Each time her mouth came down, Hiccup was taken to that dizzying point where everything made his brain a mess, but _not close enough_ to let him even approach climax.

Astrid had seemed to take getting him off with her mouth as a speed challenge. Lillian was putting him through an endurance trial.

She either couldn't or didn't want to take him down her throat, but honestly Hiccup didn't feel like he was missing anything as that sinful mouth of hers worked him a little quicker, tongue lazily swirling every time she slowed to stop Hiccup getting too close to coming.

All at once, Lillian went for the kill, sucking hard and moving her hand quicker, not letting up until Hiccup felt his orgasm hit him like a freight train with little time for more than a spluttering warning he was about to come. Still, Lillian swallowed him down with no hint of issue, actually smirking as she sat up and wiped her wet mouth, looking rather proud - smug, even - of the way Hiccup was more than a little dazed and surprised; nowhere in his expectations of the morning after had he considered effectively waking up to oral sex.

"Was that ok?"

She was smirking slightly, the expression there in the edges of her mouth as she repeated Hiccup's own query from last night back at him. Well, he could play along.

"More than."

Believing in reciprocation - and, if he was honest, eager to have her taste on his tongue and her moans in his ears - Hiccup soon had Lillian on her back, shifting down the bed until he could kiss and lick at already-wet skin. She hissed at first, nodding when Hiccup asked if she was still tender from last night. He kissed her thigh, waited for Lillian to meet his eyes again.

"I'll be gentle."

Tension eased from her frame as Hiccup kept his word, made the brushes of his mouth and tongue soft and feathery, seeking the spots that only needed the barest amounts of pressure to have Lillian whimpering, shaking, pleading. She reassured him multiple times that she could take more before Hiccup added more pressure, more speed, using one finger to slip inside and rub her g-spot when he was fairly certain Lillian was close. Hiccup was immensely gratified to feel her wet his mouth, feel rippling muscles and quivering thighs around him as she cursed and bucked.

"See, now it's a _good_ morning."

Hiccup chuckled, longing to stay and enjoy this light, giggly mood Lillian had going on, but his bladder situation was incredibly urgent by that point and so he had to excuse himself from tangled limbs with great reluctance. After peeing, he washed his hands and face quickly, then brushed his teeth before leaving the bathroom so Lillian could do the same.

"Astrid's is the grey one."

While she used the bathroom herself, Hiccup tried to restore some order to his bed, retrieving clothes from his floor and seperating his from hers. He was still a little amazed it had actually happened. Never did he expect Lillian to turn up at his house, kissing him and asking to go to bed with him. And yet...

"Why are you holding my bra like it's going to hurt you?"

Standing at his bedroom door with one of his long tunic-style t-shirts on, resting halfway down her thighs, Lillian looked divine, almost ethereal in morning light.

"You never know. Bras can be dangerous."

"While I agree, I don't think it poses imminent threat to you right now."

After the vaguely strange moment where Lillian agreed to borrow underwear from him, since her own pants had ended up on the floor after already being covered in her arousal, she seemed to remember they both had fresh breath now and situated herself quite happily against an equally happy Hiccup's mouth. She was still shirtless, her skin warm and welcoming under his hands on her hips as they kissed leisurely.

"I know we need to talk, I do, but I have class and I know you're meant to be hanging out with Astrid today. So can we maybe... talk later?"

What was he supposed to do? Say no? Insist she skip class for a conversation Hiccup doubted he was ready for, and had no idea what to say in, all whilst effectively ditching Astrid in the process?

"Sure. You uh, want me to ask Astrid to let me hang out at your place and wait for you there? Or here?"

"My place works. Saves me a trip."

Her stomach rumbled, a noise Hiccup immediately picked up on.

"You have time for breakfast before you need to go?"

Glancing at her phone, which had luckily been compatible with Hiccup's charger so the battery could be replenished overnight, Lillian nodded.

"Yeah, if it's quick. I still need to get back home and get my stuff. This staying out all night was not part of the plan. Not that I'm complaining" she stretched up, pecked a kiss on his lips "cus I'm not."

Smiling, Hiccup left her to finish getting ready, imagining she was quite grateful that they'd had a shower the night before, since it was looking unlikely she'd have much time for one that morning. Fuelled up quickly on his fruity porridge, she kissed him goodbye at the door, something so very sweet about the way her tongue poked out between her teeth when she smiled. Impish and cheeky, which Hiccup dared to take as a sign she had no regrets about spending the night with him.

"See you later?"

"Yeah. Bye."

He watched her out, then slumped against the door as soon as he'd closed it. Gods, he was so screwed. And not in the fun way.

Well, not _just_ in the fun way.

Hanging out with Astrid had been agreed before Lillian turned up at his house and sent their relationship hurtling up a few stages, and now Hiccup wasn't sure if Astrid was going to expect an explanation. Or worse. A _decision._

Sighing deeply, he straightened up properly, figuring he should tidy the kitchen and change his bedding at the very least. It served as little distraction, and the twins were still front and center of his mind the entire time. Hiccup contemplated calling his mother for advice the entire time, but that would involve him being able to articulate everything that was going on, and for the moment, Hiccup had no idea _how_ he'd do that. Almost as soon as he was done getting dressed for the day, Hiccup sat on his freshly made bed, phone vibrating from where it was laying on charge. Seeing Astrid's name flash across the screen, his heart did a funny sort of somersault before he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Morning! I'd ask how your night was, but as Lils didn't get home until this morning, I don't have to. Anyway, I am calling in advance to see what we're doing today."

"Uh... that's up to you. What do you want to do today?"

Astrid went quiet for a minute, humming in thought.

"You could teach me to cook something."

"I could... but what do you want to learn to cook?"

Thus far, Hiccup had seen Astrid chased out of the kitchen far more than he'd seen her cooking, and Lillian insisted it was for everyones safety - that thing Astrid had exploded back when Lillian had to leave the coffee shop early in their meeting one another had been whilst trying to cook.

"No idea. Something that isn't really delicate and intricate."

Hiccup tossed ideas around in his head, then had an idea.

"I got it. Do you have a big mixing bowl?"

"Uh..." he heard footsteps, then the clink of cupboards being rooted through "yes!"

"Great. I need to grab a few things, but I can be over in... an hour?"

"I will see you then. "

A brief trip to the supermarket later - Hiccup was low on a few things himself, he noted - he was pulling up outside the twins place. Astrid let him in, kissed him like she didn't know he had spent the night in bed with her sister. If she wasn't going to make a big deal of it, he wouldn't either. Not until he got to talk to Lillian later, at the very least.

"So... what are we making?"

"Bread. It requires you to beat up the dough repeatedly."

"I'm listening."

Smiling, Hiccup let himself be led to the kitchen, glad he'd remembered to bring a t-shirt he didn't mind getting flour all over.

"How big a fan are you of that shirt?"

"Why? You want me to take it off?"

Hiccup couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head.

"It's going to get flour on. You should change if you don't want to have to wash that shirt today."

"Do I _need_ a shirt?"

Nothing they were doing with the bread would spit hot or involve sharp objects... Hiccup shrugged.

"Not specifically, I guess."

Grinning, Astrid took off her shirt and stood expectantly in bra and shorts, waiting for him to get started. A little thrown by just how unchanged Astrid's behaviour toward him was - he was expecting _some_ sort of reaction to the fact he'd slept with Lillian - he shrugged it off, trying not to be distracted by half-naked lady as he lined up ingredients and equipment ready.

"Right, first things first is we make the dough. Most companies very helpfully put recipes on bags of bread flour these days."

Astrid leant in, paying attention, listening to what Hiccup was saying. He could feel the heat of her bare skin, trying to ignore it as he stirred and mixed and measured. After a brief explanation on how to knead the bread correctly, Hiccup stepped back and let Astrid take over what she was already calling 'the fun part'. He wasn't terribly surprised that the most physical woman he had ever met took to the task so quickly and happily. The lack of shirt meant Hiccup could watch the shape of her muscles working, arms tensing and loosening with the motion of her hands, little noises of exertion when the bread resisted slightly or annoyance when a piece broke off and tried to stick to her hand.

"Hang on, let me check" he took a look, nodding "that's good."

"Aww, but I was having fun!"

"If it helps, it'll need a top up in a couple of hours but if you do it much more now, the bread will turn out terrible."

Astrid pouted, washing flour off her hands while Hiccup placed the bread dough in the bowl he'd asked her to find earlier, covered the bowl and placed it down to rise for a bit before cleaning his own hands and looking to where Astrid was watching him.

"So that needs a couple of hours to rise. What do you want to do now?"

"Go out? I mean, we spend most of our time together in the vicinity of my or your bed. It's a nice day out."

Hiccup nodded in agreement, changing into flour-less t-shirt after cleaning the sides and brushing a little errant flour from his jeans while Astrid went to get outside shoes on. They walked, Astrid showing him a park near her and Lillian's house where she often went running. The hours meant most people under eighteen were at school, but there were a few dog walkers, some sunbathers, a cyclist or two and some joggers...

and Astrid was holding his hand. That was new.

-HTTYD-

 **But do we have enough _bread making_ Vikings?**


	12. Chapter 12

***basks in confusion and screaming of reviewers* ah yes, the true joy of writing.**

-HTTYD-

"I say this a lot about your cooking, but that smells so damn good!"

"Yeah, freshly baked bread is one of those things almost everyone loves the smell of."

"There are leaves in your hair."

Hiccup reached up, plucking the stray organic matter out.

"That was your idea! And I walked back with that... people are going to know what you did."

"You didn't have to agree!"

He rolled his eyes at Astrid's mock-innocence, pulling out another leaf from his ever-messy hair.

"Like I would say no to climbing trees. I fell out of so many as a kid it's unbelievable. And you challenged me to see who could climb higher!"

Astrid had smiled so prettily when she beat him that Hiccup wasn't even upset. It was worth losing to see her so wildly happy, and something about being up a tree had her giggly and bubbly and it was an utter joy to see. Dropping the leaves in the bin, Hiccup washed his hands in preperation for checking on the bread, Astrid hovering to see how it had turned out since she'd helped.

"Did I do it right?"

"It's not fully baked yet, but it's looking very good. The proof will be in the eating... do you guys have real butter?"

"Obviously. Can't beat it."

"Good. Because butter on freshly baked bread, still warm... _amazing."_

Astrid began giggling, which confused Hiccup slightly as she snickered to herself.

"What?"

"You get the same look in your eyes talking about _bread_ as you do sex. I'm slightly worried what you'll do to the poor loaf."

"Astrid!"

Still giggling, she draped herself across a stool and continued watching him. They hadn't talked about the whole hand-holding thing, and honestly Hiccup didn't have the energy to start such a conversation if she wasn't going to - he still had to talk to Lillian later. She'd be back fairly soon - between baking and outdoors, he and Astrid had whiled a considerable amount of the day away. Without having sex. It wasn't unheard of, but that _did_ seem to be a favourite pasttime of Astrid's. Hiccup wasn't really complaining either way; Astrid was good company in and out of the bedroom.

"How much longer until the bread is done?"

"About ten minutes."

"That's forever!"

"It is not! You're such a drama queen."

Distracted as he was by bread and Astrid, Hiccup hadn't even heard the door go to admit Lillian, who had obviously followed noise or nose to the kitchen to locate them. She dropped her bag on the side before heading to hug Astrid, leaning against her sisters back with a contented sigh.

"I am not a drama queen!"

Even as she protested, Astrid leant into her sisters embrace. Hiccup averted his eyes, always feeling a little like he was intruding on something intimate that he could never understand, a connection between two people who had started those brief seconds of zygote-life as one. The egg split happened before they were truly alive, but that was all the more powerful to Hiccup - they had never known anything _but_ that sameness.

"You really are. Did you actually come over to our house to make bread?"

"No. I came over here to teach Astrid to make bread."

Lillian's eyes widened.

"Should I have 999 on speed dial?"

"For that, you don't get any!"

"That could be a blessing in disguise."

Lillian winked at Hiccup as Astrid pouted.

"I hate you."

Kissing her sisters temple, Lillian smiled.

"No you don't. I'm gonna go get changed."

Rolling her eyes, Astrid cast a fond gaze after her sister before she turned back to Hiccup.

"Bread done yet? I'm _so_ hungry smelling it."

Hiccup laughed as he knelt down to check it out, turning the oven off to let the residual heat do the last of it while he located things like plates and a knife to slice, a knife for butter. The bread would need to cool a _little_ first, but he doubted Astrid would be kept at bay forever even with the threat of burning or something. Only the threat of ruining the bread might keep her back.

"Oh. My. Gods. I am amazing."

The first bite was hers, and Astrid was definitely impressed with the fruits of her labour. A hand touched the back of his neck, making Hiccup jump.

"Why is there a leaf in your shirt?"

"Astrid challenged me to tree climbing?"

Lillian laughed as she disposed of the stray leaf, watching Astrid devour the bread she'd made with relish.

"So you guys went outside _and_ made bread? Did I break something?"

It took Hiccup's mind a minute to click what Lillian meant by that, by which time Astrid was already giggling again.

"For that, you can try some of my amazing bread. Seriously. It's so good!"

"I'm gonna wait five minutes and check you don't die first."

Since they had moved on from the joke, Hiccup didn't respond himself. He was too busy trying to work out what to make of the fact the twins were bantering about the fact both of them were now intimate with him, and his mind still whirred on whatever might come up when he and Lillian talked. Should he talk to Astrid about it too? They had been together hours that day and, aside from her remark about Lillian not coming home until the next morning, she'd not really said much on the matter at all. Which didn't help Hiccup at all.

"I can't deny it. This is pretty good."

"Pretty good? I will have you know that is the best bread you have ever eaten."

"I disagree. Remember Hiccup's banana bread?"

"Oh. Yeah. Ok, I'll give you that one."

He chortled to himself as the twins talked, remembering how that entire loaf of banana bread had vanished overnight between the three of them, and Hiccup hadn't had that much himself. It was lucky he'd made two batches, since his mother was very partial to banana bread herself. Baking tray washed and on the drying rack, Hiccup turned just in time to see Astrid smearing butter on Lillian's face.

"I hear it's good for your skin!"

"You are so dead!"

Lillian lunged in retaliation, and soon enough Astrid was complaining there was butter in her hair, then tackling her sister to the floor where they playfully wrestled and made a royal mess in the process. Hiccup was laughing so hard his stomach hurt by the time they got up, breathless and flushed and far too alluring for one confused dragon-geek.

"I guess I'm going to go shower and get this gunk out of my hair. You kids be good now."

"No promises!"

Left alone with Lillian as Astrid headed off to remove butter from various places, Hiccup felt his heart give a funny little quiver in his chest while Lillian was cleaning her face in the took his hand in silence, led Hiccup to her room and closed the door behind them before a word was said.

"Are you ok Hiccup? You look a bit... I don't know, scared?"

"I'm fine. So uh... guess we should talk?"

She nodded, sitting down on her bed and stretching her legs out in front of her before beckoning Hiccup over to join her. He did so, heart still pounding.

"You're not ready, are you?"

"For what?"

"Choosing who you like more between me and Astrid. It's ok if you're not, that wasn't why I came over last night. Just be honest."

Lillian was being straight-to-the-point and non-judgemental, so Hiccup figured honesty was the least he could offer her.

"No, I'm not."

"That's ok. Honestly, it's sort of a relief."

"Oh?"

"Well, at least now I know it wasn't just about being able to bed identical twins."

Hiccup frowned.

"You thought that?"

"No, not really... it's just that guys _have_ tried that before. So it's nice to be sure I wasn't just part of a matching set."

Thoroughly confused, Hiccup comforted himself with the view that at least Lillian wasn't outright demanding a choice there and then. That didn't mean Astrid wouldn't. Gods, it was tense and awkward and mildly terrifying, and more than once Hiccup had thought about bailing on the whole thing because _how was he supposed to choose?_

But then Lillian was pulling him closer, lips on his and a hand sliding up into his hair, and Hiccup remembered why he hadn't bailed before...

He was _hooked._

* * *

Astrid couldn't really complain about overhearing Hiccup with Lillian. Gods knew Lils had heard enough of her, especially since she started seeing Hiccup.

But that day... she couldn't handle it. Fresh out of the shower, she dressed and dried her hair, re-braided it before heading out to go food shopping. She couldn't quite say what it was, but _something_ had settled heavily in her stomach and it felt an awful lot like guilt. Maybe if she pretended, Astrid could just say it was the bread from earlier.

She'd sprung the whole going out and holding hands thing on Hiccup without any prior explanation - sure, they'd hung out without having sex, and gone out places together as friends, but not walked hand in hand or kissed in public before. Certainly not kissed hungrily, tree bark digging in to her back through the thin cotton of her t-shirt... until that bloody dog walker interrupted them.

And Hiccup hadn't questioned it. He'd seemed quite happy, actually.

Which made Astrid feel bad. She didn't want to quit Hiccup. Gods, she was addicted as much to their torrid trysts as she was his awkward charms. But she knew that he and Lillian were probably more long-term compatible, and so Astrid shouldn't be doing anything that muddied the waters, she should be making it easy for Hiccup to choose Lillian. Then her sister would be happy, and that was all Astrid really needed.

She'd hurt Lillian enough before. Being in the way of those two wasn't incredibly sister-ly of her.

Then again...

Shaking off those thoughts, Astrid meandered around the supermarket, dumping bags of nuts and seeds in the basket for work snacks, protein bars for on the go and a few things Hiccup had gone through making dinner for them the other day. Then she picked up her sisters favourite sweets, because that always put a smile on Lils' face. Although after time spent in bed with Hiccup, Astrid wholly expected Lils would already be grinning. It was hard to be in a bad mood after _that,_ in Astrid's personal experience at least.

"Where have you been young lady?"

"I went to the shop? I won't ask where you've been, since _that_ one wasn't me."

Astrid indicated the fresh hickey on Hiccup's neck, stark against a couple of faded marks that she had been responsible for. Lils wasn't so liberal with the teeth and such, but Astrid had seen such handiwork once or twice from her sister.

Said sister was very happy to see sweets in Astrid's haul, whilst Hiccup was perusing the nutritional content of her protein bars apparently. He could probably make them. He could make just about everything else in the kitchen. Shoving everything for-the-gym in its place (which may or may not have been a drawer just stuffed full of nuts and seeds), Astrid helped herself to another slice of bread.

"Hey!"

Hiccup's voice was quiet, his body turned to hiss at Lillian - Astrid assumed, unless there was someone _else_ in their house. Unlikely, but still. Still chewing, Astrid didn't hear Liliian's response, but based on the fact Hiccup came in alone with words clearly burning on his tongue, she'd bank her sister had said something along the lines of "talk to Astrid". Swallowing the rich, fluffy bread down, Astrid looked up at him.

"What's up?"

"I uh... Lillian asked me and it made me realise I ought to see how you feel about all this... are you waiting for me to, well, pick?"

Astrid pondered her answer. She could give him one that was honest, but probably misleading.

"No, not really. If I start thinking you're leading either of us on, then you will not like the outcome. But otherwise, you'll figure it out when you figure it out."

Hiccup frowned, then nodded.

"Fair enough. I... so, are we ok?"

"You mean now you're also banging my sister? Yep, we're good."

How exactly Hiccup was going to decide between who's bed he would spend the night in, Astrid had no idea. It may grow to wear on them all to have him go back and forth or try and work out some kind of schedule, which would veer dangerously close to them just... both dating him? _Sharing_ him. And that was not the plan. So Astrid ought to start pulling away from Hiccup soon, so his choice would be more clear.

He hesitated, and Astrid knew what he wanted. Resisting the urge to sigh, she slid from her stool, stretched up the few inches to his face and kissed him. Tension clearly left his frame, and when Astrid pulled back he was smiling and _seriously,_ that wasn't fair. His smile was a little crooked and kind of lopsided and completely adorable. Why did he have to be so visibly bloody happy she still wanted him? It made the idea of taking that away harder.

"I uh... yep. I better get going. I'm making dinner for my parents and my dad eats enough for four."

"Is your dad a giant?"

"Well, his nickname is 'Stoick the Vast'. And it is well earned."

Hiccup pulled up a picture on his phone, and _blimey_ that was a big guy. She thought Lils had been exaggerating when she mentioned seeing that photo.

"Wow."

"Yeah. So I will text you?"

"Sure. See you later. Thanks for teaching me to make bread."

He smiled, soft and warm and genuine. Astrid cursed the flutter in her belly.

"No problem. See you later."

She heard him bid Lillian goodbye too, and her twin entered the kitchen a minute after she heard Hiccup leave. With no warning, Lillian was wrapped around her back, arms snug against Astrid's waist, hands linked over her stomach and head pressed into the back of her hair.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Doing what?"

Lillian sighed, shaking her head.

"You know damn well what. And you also know playing dumb doesn't work on me."

That was the problem with someone who knew her every mannerism, every twitch and tremor and tone. Lillian could tell from across a crowded room if Astrid was anything even slightly below deliriously happy. So of course she'd notice Astrid in a little mental turmoil about her feelings.

And it was only a _little,_ really. Easy enough to forget about in time. Probably not even much time.

"Yes, I do know that."

Lillian's breath was hot on the back of her neck, ghosting through Astrid's hair on each exhale. Her hands moved, settling over the swell of her hips as a soft kiss brushed the side of her neck. Astrid suppressed a shiver.

"Don't do this to me Lils."

She heard her twins sound of frustration, impatience.

"Don't pretend you don't think about it."

"Of course I do, we live together for Thor's sake. But I know what _you're_ thinking. And you shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"For all the reasons we talked about before."

Lillian growled, fingers flexing on Astrid's waist.

"They were stupid reasons then, and they are stupid reasons now. I think we should tell him."

"Are you crazy?" reluctant as she was to _face_ Lillian in that instance, Astrid couldn't help it "he'd flip and run a mile. Like any _sane_ person would."

The darkened hue of her sisters blue eyes was enough to make Astrid's chest tight.

"I disagree."

-HTTYD-

 **There'll be a new content warning added to the story before the next chapter, although at this point I should imagine it's pretty clear...**

 **and while I'm usually much more up-front with such warnings, it would have just been a _massive_ spoiler, and this story was never meant to be so long! So it was only meant to be a finale chapter that needed content warnings, but then... well. This whole thing got out of hand!  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**I mentioned this before, and I should have added it to the story summary before this chapter is uploaded -**

 **but this story now contains twin-cest, ranging from referencing/conversational right the way up to twin-on-twin action. I'm undecided if Lilstrid or Twinstrid is the appropriate ship-name. I'm kinda attached to Lillian now, so I lean to Lilstrid but I'm open to opinions on that.**

 **I wrote the first half of this chapter like, no problem, then the other half danced in a tea cosy where I couldn't reach it and would not be written!**

-HTTYD-

Astrid didn't pull away from her, but Lillian knew she was thinking about it. She definitely didn't agree with the idea of telling Hiccup.

Not that there was anything _to_ tell, not anymore. Not since Astrid put a stop to it. Lillian still hated it, still longed for the nights they spent entombed amongst their bedding, sweaty sheets and knowing touches and the incredible familiarity that could only be found in each other. And she knew Astrid did too, but the older sister - by a matter of minutes, but those made all the difference apparently - had called it quits, and Lillian would never _force_ Astrid. Something about it being wrong...

How something that felt so right could be _wrong,_ she had no idea. But Astrid was adamant, and that painful seperation had threatened the sisters bond for a while, though ultimately they could no more live apart than they could stop breathing. But seperate bedrooms, no sleepovers. They had ground rules on physical contact too, which Lillian strongly suspected meant that Astrid still _wanted._ And she didn't trust herself after a certain point.

Lips pressed to her forehead, Astrid's fingers soft on her temples.

"I know you do. But this is where we are."

Before Lillian could formulate her answer, Astrid was pulling away and leaving her feeling bereft.

She _knew_ Astrid thought the same thing she did. That if they weren't pretending nothing had ever happened between them and being certain nothing else ever would... there was no good reason for Hiccup to ever choose. Why leave one out when there was another option?

Of course, assuming Hiccup didn't think them perverse, like their parents had. Not that Lillian thought their parents ever actually _knew,_ but when Astrid came out as bisexual in their teens, that was when the sudden need for the girls to no longer share a room came up. **That** had been a three year debate between twins and parents, ended only by she and Astrid flat out leaving - together, and though they got a place with two bedrooms for appearances, they had continued... sharing for a while.

Astrid still never told her what suddenly changed her mind, made their relationship suddenly unacceptable. They'd been each others first everything, from kiss to sex, and having to suddenly adjust to that being gone wasn't easy for her. If Lillian hadn't asked, Astrid would probably have enforced more physical distance, but there was no way they could completely give up the tactile comfort the other gave. Over time, it got a little easier, and Lillian could almost pretend that it was enough. Astrid would still playfight with her, they still cuddled and touched platonically, and kisses were okay if they weren't on the lips. That was the toughest one. Astrid had the prettiest mouth.

Lillian still shuddered with the memory of it on her neck, when her sister jokingly gave her that damned hickey. For just a second, she'd hoped...

And then _Hiccup_ happened. Both girls had dated and had partners since each other, but Lillian struggled to find a guy who wasn't intimidated by her STEM aspirations and intelligence, that also actually intrigued her. Astrid wasn't the relationship sort, so she said, and she made do with a fairly steady string of short-term boyfriends or girlfriends.

Until that awkward dork came stumbling into their lives, with shy smiles and sarcastic jokes and being somehow able to match Astrid's voracious sexuality. The same guy who left bite marks on Astrid's neck after they skipped introductions in favour of intercourse had sat talking algebra and dragons over hot chocolate for hours at a time with Lillian. He was happy to take it slow with Lillian, letting her decide what she was comfortable with. Which was tough to work out, because she'd never really felt that strongly about anyone other than Astrid, but Hiccup somehow wormed his way in.

If only Astrid would consider it, and if he accepted it... Lillian felt like there was an ideal solution waiting to be realised, rather than their current one where Hiccup was stuck in the middle. He seemed quite content there for the moment, but she knew Astrid was adamant they never share a boyfriend, so if either started _actually_ dating him, it would be because whatever he had going on with the other twin was no longer occurring.

But no matter how much she disagreed with Astrid's choice on the matter, Lillian knew she'd respect it. It was Astrid's privacy too, and she wouldn't break that. Not even for Hiccup.

Curling up on the sofa with a pillow hugged to her chest, Lillian let the images on the TV flicker past her vision without paying them much mind, only drawing out of her little funk when Astrid plonked down next to her, plying with cuddles and her favourite sweets to cheer her up. Stroking fingers through her hair, Lillian hummed and burrowed closer to Astrid's leg where she was curled up then.

"Love you Lils."

"I know you do. Love you too."

They whiled away much of the evening that way, and despite the success of her bread Lillian was reticent to let Astrid help make dinner, only relenting when Astrid pulled out her most pleading puppy-dog eyes and pout. That was an irresistible combination and her sister damn well knew it.

"Fine, fine. Go over there and cook the pasta. Try not to set the kitchen on fire."

"Two times that happened!"

"Astrid, we had to replace the batteries in the smoke alarm _three times._ In one year."

Throwing her hands up in exasperation, Astrid also managed to hurl pasta shapes from the bag she was holding all over the kitchen. Well, they would probably be finding those for a while.

"See. This is why you can't be trusted. There is now penne in your hair!"

"It's a fashion statement."

Finally cleaning up the mess - at least it hadn't been pasta _sauce_ that time - Lillian found a new bag of penne in the cupboard, then measured it out and hid the bag before Astrid could redecorate further with it. They were both giggling the entire time, growing only more amused when Astrid fished a piece out that had ended up down her shirt.

After that, dinner felt decidedly well-earned. Leaving to change into her pyjamas, Astrid was absent from the room when her phone began ringing. Seeing Hiccup's name flash across the screen, Lillian reached over and picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey- Lillian, why are you answering Astrid's phone?"

Seriously, how did he do that?

"Ok, _how_ can you tell us apart even over the phone?"

"Astrid answers the phone by basically shouting my name. Or asking if I'm naked. But never just 'hello'."

Snorting, Lillian conceded his point.

"Fair enough. She's gone to put her pjs on. How was dinner with your parents?"

"It was good, yeah. Got a few jabs about the fresh hickey on my neck" Lillian felt a flicker in her belly, remembering how easily she'd become intoxicated by his touch and unable to keep from chasing that feeling earlier "but I kept shtum about it."

"Oh? Do your parents not know about us yet?"

Hiccup went quiet for a minute, just as Astrid walked back in to eavesdrop. Lillian clicked loudspeaker on to save her straining her hearing.

"Not really? I don't really know how I'd explain it."

The twins heard the unspoken implication; Hiccup was waiting to have an actual girlfriend to introduce. Not a weird situation where he was sort of with both of them, but at the same time not officially _with_ either of them.

"Wait, does that mean they don't know we're twins?"

"Oh, hi Astrid" Lillian saw her sister blink in surprise that Hiccup noticed a difference "no, they don't. Why?"

"Just wondering. How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Know it was me?"

"Oh. You sound further away than Lillian."

Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Bloody science geeks, the pair of you. What did you call me for?"

"Oh. Nothing in particular, I was calling to ask when you two wanted to hang out again and Lillian didn't answer my texts."

"She left her phone in the kitchen after getting distracted when some pasta spontaneously exploded."

Raising an eyebrow at her sister, Lillian received a mock-innocent smile in return.

"Riiiight. Were you by any chance _near_ the pasta Astrid?"

"How dare you insinuate such a thing!"

"I thought so."

Laughing at Astrid's indignation, they eventually turned the conversation to job and class schedules before agreeing on when next to see each other. After Hiccup hung up, her attention was back on her sister, who was beginning to undo her braid. Lillian stood, circling around to do it for her - they braided and unbraided each others hair all the time. Combing fingers to detangle the silken strands, she could all but see the cogs turning in Astrid's mind.

"Did you say something to him?"

"About what?"

"Well, he asked when _we_ wanted to hang out. Not individually. Together."

Seeing what Astrid was getting at, Lillian finished what she was doing lest she accidentally yank at Astrid's hair in frustration.

"And you think in the three minutes you were gone, I secretly conveyed to him that we used to fuck and that I wish we still did, but he's invited too? Is that what you're asking me?"

There was a reason they didn't talk about that time much; it was the only thing they ever really fought about, strong feelings leading to strong words. There was something of a pathology in the way they were with other partners that Lillian _knew_ was down to the relationship she and Astrid used to share.

Lillian was reticent, always certain in the knowledge nobody would ever fit her the way Astrid did. Then Hiccup showed up, and somehow he kind of _did_ fit and that was terrifying and beggared belief and. Besides which, Lillian had never been attracted to another woman besides Astrid, and that was, well, different.

Astrid was only ever interested in rough sex when she was with someone else. Not that she didn't _love_ that, Lillian knew, but Astrid had never found someone she could go slow with, nobody she ever felt safe enough with.

They'd changed each other completely, and it was never more clear than when they faced off over _this_ particular topic.

"No. I don't think you said that. I just... I don't even know. I'm going to bed."

Lillian curled her fingers around Astrid's wrist, halting her sister from leaving.

"No. We are talking about this. If you want to draw a line, then fine, but if that's the case then it's not fair on any of us, _especially_ Hiccup, to leave it all down to him. He's never going to choose, he likes us both too much and you know it. If you want him, tell me and I will back off. If you don't, tell _him._ But then, that would be a lie, because I know how much you like him. You just think he should be with me, out of some ridiculous idea of making up for you dumping me, right?"

She saw the way Astrid's face hardened, knew from the tension in her jaw that Lillian had hit a sore nerve.

"Why are you doing this to me Lils?"

The shake in Astrid's voice almost broke her, but Lillian knew they couldn't go on like this.

"Because that guy doesn't deserve this. _We_ don't deserve this. If we keep trying to pretend, then everyone is going to get hurt. Please, stop focusing on me. I don't want my happiness to ever be at the expense of yours."

Almost aggressively protective and caring toward her younger twin, Astrid had looked out for her from day one. Lillian knew it was simultaneously what pulled them to each other and what pushed Astrid to break them apart. But Lillian was tired of watching Astrid try to suffer things just for her sake, as though she couldn't tell, couldn't see what it was doing to her. It was a long term issue for them, Hiccup had just been a catalyst in making them face up to it.

Astrid wouldn't meet her eye, and after a few minutes heavy silence, her twin seemed to sag with an untold emotion.

"I'm going to bed."

That was more sharp a dismissal than Astrid outright saying she didn't want to talk about this. Feeling defeated by the wall Astrid seemed to want to put up between them, Lillian made to sink onto the sofa, wanting to wait until she knew she'd not bump into Astrid before she headed up to her own room for some well-deserved wallowing.

Astrid's footsteps hesitated on the stairs, a creak as she turned around.

"You coming?"

-HTTYD-

 **Man this was a tough chapter to write, but I did it! Have some feels.**


	14. Chapter 14

**The twins appreciate all your support!**

 **And Happy Snoggletog!**

-HTTYD-

Astrid had expected more disappointment from her sister when she specified only sleeping was on the table, but Lillian was still happy. Burrowed up into Astrid's arms and settled there, murmuring how she'd "missed this" before falling to sleep with all her usual twitches and little noises... Astrid smiled to herself. Some things never changed.

Their... break up had been just as hard on Astrid as it had Lillian, though she'd clearly been better at hiding it, as Lils still thought Astrid was _happy_ to be apart from her after all the time they'd spent so close. Like it hadn't broken her heart too. And she knew Lillian sought a reason, an explanation, but that too was hidden. Watching Lillian slumber comfortably against her chest, arm wrapped tight around her middle and her sweet face tugged in mini-expressions by whatever it was that made her wiggle and squeak at night, Astrid loathed their mother ever more for putting them through years of seperation.

She'd done it to protect her sister, but there was only so long Astrid could live a lie, and every time Lillian pushed the issue Astrid came a little closer to breaking.

Tonight, she'd had enough. Enough of the betrayed look in her sisters eyes, and enough of denying the truth that didn't change just because they pretended it never happened.

That night, Astrid slept better than she had in _years,_ the feeling of completion she only got from holding or being held by Lillian almost novel, new. Like coming home again. Clearly concerned Astrid might have changed her mind in the night, Lillian was feigning sleep so she'd not have to leave, but she was pretty terrible at it - she was still and quiet, for one. Astrid let her for a while, content to stay that way. It was only an absent-minded touch that gave them both away, Astrid's hand coming up to stroke her twins hair out of habit; Lillian's deep-conditioning habit meant her hair was like satin, silken flow through her fingers and Astrid could never leave it alone for long.

Sleepy blue eyes peered up at her, some shifting movements leaving them closer to level on the pillow but Lillian was still holding her waist, fingers flexing in the dip there.

"Hey."

"Hey."

A lingering silence was broken by light giggling, both of them reacting to the ridiculous tension. After a minute, Lillian settled, face more pensive and serious.

"What changed your mind?"

It was a simple question, with an equally simple answer.

"I missed you."

A small smile flickered across Lillian's face, but it was replaced again by the edges of tension.

"Why'd you do it Astrid?"

She'd known that was coming; if Astrid let the barriers between them down, her sister would want to know what the foundation they'd been built on in the first place was. Sighing softly, Astrid rubbed her hand over the forearm across her belly, felt Lillian hug her a little tighter.

"Can we talk later? I kinda just want to lay here for a bit."

Nodding, Lillian drew them tight together, then settled down and went quiet, only letting out soft hums when Astrid played with her hair. It was calm and gentle and _easy,_ and Astrid regretted ever giving it up. She knew her sister had drifted off to sleep again when the fidgeting started up, but it was too sweet and nostalgic for Astrid to mind. Only when the alarm on her phone went off did Astrid reluctantly nudge Lillian awake, getting a light grumble before she actually stirred awake.

"Don't wanna..."

"I have work today, so we have to get up."

More grumbling, but Lillian finally sat up and ran a hand through her hair, shaking out where Astrid had mussed it up in her idle stroking.

"Is that your way of saying we're not talking about this now?"

"No. Just that we're not talking about it right this second, because apparently staying in bed means _you_ go back to sleep."

Lillian stuck her tongue out, but she also moved to leave the bed and promised to be out of the bathroom soon - Astrid would shower while Lillian cooked breakfast. She was usually awake first, but Astrid supposed she could understand why Lillian was reluctant to leave the bed when it was the first time she'd been allowed _in_ Astrid's bed in years. Sure, they'd sat on the same bed to watch movies, dragged a duvet to the sofa and shared in winter, even fallen asleep talking on top of the covers...

but there had been rules. And while Astrid _knew_ how much Lillian hated them, her sister had never broken them and only rarely questioned them. Even then, she'd never really pushed. Which was lucky, really, because Astrid had crumbled pretty easy.

The mood was still happy when Astrid got out of the shower - Lillian had made her chocolate porridge, which was one of Astrid's favourite things but she could never seem to get the cocoa or sweetener just right, while Lillian made it perfectly but rarely had the patience of a morning when she just wanted sustenance. Still, Astrid wasn't complaining, and it was as sweet and indulgent as ever. Even more so when she saw _that look,_ the one she'd dreaded for years and now couldn't stop from smiling when she saw it. Hope. Want. Question.

Something like a knot came loose in her chest when she kissed Lillian again, a weight Astrid had barely even noticed suddenly lifted as hands slid over her shoulders. She could taste the blueberry Lillian had put in her own breakfast there, tart and sweet as she felt her sister smile. It was familiar and new all at once; suppressed memories surging but still, the way they kissed had changed with time and lack of practice upon the other.

"Never thought I'd do that again."

Breathing softly, Lillian's forehead came to rest against hers. Hands curled around her back, holding her there.

"I know."

There were several seconds silence, broken only by their breathing - in time, like it pretty much always was. If she pressed fingers to her twins wrist or throat or chest, Astrid knew her heartbeat would likely be pretty close too. Even accounting for the fluttering of her own from the kiss.

"Then why... what happened?"

Astrid knew it would sound trite, not a good enough reason.

"Mom found out. And she said if I didn't... if _we_ didn't stop, then she would turn us in."

"How?"

"She had a key to our place, remember? Walked in while we were asleep."

In the same bed. Not the most unexpected situation - they'd been fighting over that with their parents for years before they even moved out. But the day was burned in Astrid's memory all the same, and they'd been in the same bed, fallen asleep still naked after Lillian had jumped Astrid the minute she'd got back in from work. It was a rookie mistake, really, after years of being careful.

"She never told me... _you_ never told me."

"Because I knew you would never have let me break it off for that."

The fingers on her back tightened, soft growl in Lillian's throat a confirmation.

"Damn straight I wouldn't have let you."

"But she was serious, and I... I just wanted to protect you."

It sounded meaningless, paling in comparison to the hurt she _knew_ she'd caused Lillian. But Astrid had been so sure she was doing the right thing at the time. She watched emotions flicker over her sisters face, thoughts slowly settling there.

"Protect me from what? You broke my heart."

Astrid knew that. It still hurt to hear.

"I didn't want you locked up. People thinking you were a freak. I didn't care what happened to me, I just wanted to keep you safe."

Regardless of how consensual and, to them, _natural_ it had been, incest was still illegal, and could mean up to life in prison. While Astrid doubted the punishment would be the maximum, it would still have outed them, and it would still have punished them.

"Wait... _oh._ I wondered why she was around so much... I didn't know she knew. I thought you had asked her to be around more because you didn't trust yourself."

"I didn't. Neither did she."

Lillian kissed her again. It was soft and sweet and felt _just right_... why had Astrid ever tried to deny it again? Already, it sounded ludicrous that she'd ever let anything seperate them.

"That explains why she always looked at me weird. I just assumed she was trying to tell us apart. When did she stop checking up on you?"

"After about a year. But by then I was too scared, and over time it just got harder and harder to figure out how I'd ever explain it to you. And then when we started talking about moving here, mom reminded me that if she suspected anything, they would stop paying your tuition fees."

"So what happened last night? What changed?"

"I was _tired,_ Lils. Not just bed-time tired. Tired of missing you."

They'd laid on the sofa together before, but it had been a while since they were holding hands and Lillian was lying on her the way she was. Her affection was unreserved, no signs of resentment or vengeful irritation. Lillian didn't seem to care how long it had been stopped. Just that it was starting again now.

"I missed you too. You know how hard it is to date when the bar was set by you?"

Astrid laughed, pressing a kiss to Lillian's hair and smiling at the soft sound it won her.

"I am a tough act to follow."

"You never had much trouble."

Shrugging, Astrid supposed she had a point.

"I like sex. I could never find anyone that I wanted more than that from though. And you were never one for randoms like me."

Both had occasionally seen other people while they were together before - Lillian agreed it wasn't healthy for them not to interact with other people, both were curious about men, and it wasn't like they could really _cheat_ on each other. But even then, they were each others longest relationship by far.

"Yeah... so where does this leave Hiccup?"

Astrid hummed in thought, though admittedly she probably had as little of a concrete idea as Lillian did.

"I don't know... we could talk back and forth for a month, it wouldn't matter if we told him and he freaked."

"Well, yeah, that's true. But that aside, we have three choices. One being that we both continue sort-of-but-not-dating him until he breaks and runs, cus he's never going to pick a favourite. Quite rightly so."

"You do know tha was your idea Lils?"

Her sister shrugged, shifting to get more comfortable.

"At the time I wasn't planning on actually liking him _that_ much."

"I know what you mean. I picked up a hot guy in a bar. I did not plan to pick up boyfriend material. Anyway.. Other two options?"

"Option two is that we break it off with him and he goes off on his merry way, and us ours."

That idea didn't sit well with Astrid, and not just because Hiccup hadn't actually done anything wrong and did not deserve to just get dumped.

"And behind door number three is, well, three?"

Lillian nodded, chewing her lip in thought.

"Yeah. Again, that's assuming he doesn't freak and run for the hills. Which is fair. We could probably be a pretty terrifying double act to contemplate."

"Well, I think he could handle it. If he takes his vitamins."

Giggling, Lillian toyed idly with Astrid's hair braid, glaring when Astrid checked her watch - she really did have to go to work that day, reluctant as she was to even consider leaving their comfortable embrace.

"So... what do you want to do?"

-HTTYD-

 **Short and probably disappointing, but hey that's what you come here for right? _Right?_**


	15. Chapter 15

**I am very tired and low on any inspiration whatsoever... but hey lets see what happens.**

 **In answer to reviews - sure, you probably would flip at your kids, but you might not. I don't know. I'm not a parent. But these aren't real people, and if you made it _this_ far then you've agreed to read the Lilstrid interactions. So... Chill. And stop telling people they are going to Hell, which I don't really believe in but is an awful thing to say in itself. You don't get to "like the story" and effectively penalise other people for the same thing. **

**_I_ actually have no problem with _consensual adult_ incest, so long as they take precautions when it comes to babies simply because of the increased risk of genetic problems. The child didn't ask for that. And no, I'm not screwing a family member, before someone who thinks they are dead clever and original says that. Eeeesh. Y'all ought to be familiar enough with my work by now that you knew what was coming. Read the fictional story and fuck off if you don't like it. Simples. I'm not here for drama.  
**

-HTTYD-

Personally, Lillian thought she was very patient. She hadn't stormed Astrid's workplace and dragged her home, after all. And considering how completely ecstatic she was that Astrid had finally stopped building that wall between them, and how _badly_ she wanted to go cuddle up with Astrid for a solid three days with only cookie dough and bad TV and _them..._

Yeah, she was being very patient indeed.

So really, Astrid ought not to have been surprised about being jumped on, though she giggled and joked that Lillian had "scared her!" even as they hugged. Relieved to have Astrid in her arms again, Lillian squeezed her sister and smiled.

"Missed you."

"I noticed!"

Still giggling, Astrid sniffed the air.

"What have you been making?"

"Cookies. Specifically, chocolate protein cookies."

"Seriously? You _are_ in a good mood."

"That surprises you?"

Astrid pretended to think about that, before shaking her head with a grin.

"No, not really."

They kissed, still a long-forgotten thrill that made Lillian worry she was going to wake up from the dream. Of course, she'd burnt her hand earlier while baking, and not woken up. Did that mean she could relax and accept she was actually awake?

"Well there you go. Come on. They are pretty good, if I do say so myself."

"As you should, you are great in the kitchen. I'd be lost without your cooking."

Fingers linked, they meandered to the kitchen at last so Astrid could sample some of the baked goods. Lillian had spent the day distracting herself - Hiccup was at work, but she and Astrid were still a little new for her to be around the man anyway, so after spending the morning on coursework, Lillian cleaned, checked cupboard stocks and ended up baking to pass the time. Even then, she'd been counting down the last hour, contemplating going to get Astrid just to wait less time to see her again. Gods, it had been _too long..._

"Wow. These are great! And super gooey in the middle-"

"-just how you like them. I wouldn't make protein cookies for myself, but you're a gym buff. Sweet and healthy... ish."

"Close enough. And definitely healthier than like... crack cocaine, though probably almost as addictive."

Trust Astrid to use such logic. Lillian was just glad she liked them. Watching Astrid set into the chocolatey goodness, she simply smiled at seeing Astrid happy. Admittedly a little selfishly locked up with her own broken heart, Lillian hadn't noticed the weight Astrid was carrying until it was gone - her twin was lighter than she'd been in _years_ now.

"So how was work?"

"Work was... fine. I was kinda counting down the minutes to get home though. Even before I knew there'd be chocolate cookies."

"Something to get back for?"

Washing down her cookie with protein powder mixed into milk - cookies and milk for the gym bunny - Astrid winked.

"Damn right I had something to get back for. And she was baking cookies while she waited."

After refuelling, Astrid hopped down from her stool, wiping her mouth before she hauled Lillian back to her. The earlier kisses had been in greeting after she got back from work; these ones were more demanding, hungry, free of the restriction of _time_ they had had earlier. As they agreed nothing could happen then, not because they didn't want to, but because Astrid rightly pointed out they probably wouldn't be able to **stop,** and then she'd be late for work and have no excuse. Somehow "in bed with my sister" probably wouldn't fly, she'd said.

In that moment, Lillian couldn't have cared less. Having Astrid's hands on her again, fingers slipping under her shirt to stroke her back and making her moan weakly into chocolate-flavoured kisses... it was a dizzying rush, a sinful indulgence Lillian had thought she would never feel again. Astrid backed her up against the wall, using hands to pin her wrists and teeth to skate across her neck, smirking into her skin when Lillian squirmed and gasped.

She'd not been sleeping with Hiccup anywhere near long enough for anything really rough to occur, but Astrid knew Lillian liked it from time to time and seemed keenly aware it had been a while since she'd felt a firmer touch. And if there was anybody Lillian _trusted_ that to, implicitly, it was Astrid. There would probably be an explanation to make, she mused, as Astrid left a throbbing, pleasantly-aching bruise on her throat, straining against Astrid's grip in a need to touch her in turn. Her sister only laughed, continued holding her one-handed while the other hand came down to skim over her torso, thumb finding a firm nipple through her shirt and even fabric couldn't stop her body responding to Astrid.

Even more intoxicating to her was the _sound_ Astrid made when Lillian broke her grip, reversing their positions and pinning her twin to the wall with her hips, feeling the flexing of Astrid's abdomen against her own as they kissed, fingers twisting in her hair and teeth nipping at her lower lip.

The bedroom was much too far; the kitchen floor sufficed for the moment, hands tugging at clothes and skin urgently. That long-missed familiar spark of Astrid's hands, Astrid's mouth on her... it made her shudder with every grope and caress, fiery lines on her back when Astrid scraped her nails there, fingers running down to squeeze at her ass and lips tipping up in a grin when Lillian moaned in response.

She left her own marks, teeth clamping on Astrid's skin as her body shook with the feel of fingers slipping inside her, nails clutching her sisters shoulders and back, hips bucking to try and push against her harder. Astrid was little better, all but drawing blood when Lillian touched her in turn, clumsy and out of practice but drunk on her twins responses, the heated way Astrid cursed and moaned.

Afterward, they lay panting and half dressed, limbs tangled together and both dissolving into a flood of giggles there on the floor.

"It has been _way_ too long since we did that."

"It really has."

Astrid stood first, hauling Lillian up to her feet too. Their discarded clothes could wait; who was going to find them? Their mother didn't have a key to _this_ place. And now Lillian knew what she did, their mother was never going to get a key either. No more would anything seperate she and Astrid.

"Wait" Astrid halted in the doorway, on their way up to an actual bed now, then turned around "not leaving these behind."

Lillian could only laugh as Astrid scooped up some of the cookies she'd made, then grabbed hold of her with her other hand and led Lillian upstairs.

"Trust you to be thinking with your stomach!"

"Hey, I'm making sure we don't need to leave our bed for a while. See? Planning ahead!"

 _Our bed._ Two words Lillian had needed to hear for years.

* * *

"You never know, another option may present itself."

His mothers answer had been both cryptic and clear, and then all but completely impossible.

While still leaving out a lot of details, mostly because Hiccup didn't _want_ to go into details about how he had ended up in such a situation with twin sisters, he _had_ confided in his mother about sort of dating two people - who both knew about each other, and were letting him choose. And about how he couldn't. He had been slightly tipsy at the time after his dad brought over some very nice whiskey, which was probably why he couldn't keep it in any longer.

And his mothers advice had been to tell both women that, and they may decide one liked him more than the other, or neither wanted him. And with her cryptic remark, Hiccup knew she meant some form of polyamorous three-person relationship. Which was not really going to happen, given that said women were siblings and it was nigh on impossible they would want to spend forever sharing the same man.

So he opted to bite the bullet, called them up after his parents left and asked when it would be possible to see them both. Between their schedules, it would be a few days yet, and Hiccup gave no reason as to why he didn't want to see them individually, which probably made them a little suspicious. That left him with quite a while to figure out what he'd say, and naturally a lot of time to worry that they would think he'd been leading them on and be very unhappy with him. Astrid had already let him know that wouldn't end well.

Flopping back on his sofa, Hiccup glanced over at the bookcase, seeing the gap where Lillian had borrowed one of his books and wondering distantly if he'd get the chance to introduce her to his mother, so she could meet the writer herself. He wondered the same with Astrid and his dad, who would probably get on great with their love of outdoors and physical activity and food. Not that he thought his dad wouldn't like Lillian, or his mother would dislike Astrid. But still.

Trying not to overthink things was near impossible by that point though; almost everything had memories of one or the other or both to them. Like when he went to make some bread, he'd probably never not think of how much Astrid had enjoyed pounding at the dough. He'd never drink coffee again without a flood of memories of encounters with Lillian. They'd slipped into his life, confused the Hel out of him and then sort of stolen his heart along the way, and Hiccup was lost, torn between them and unsure even what _he_ hoped or expected from when he next saw them and confessed.

Honestly, the best he hoped for was that they'd still want to be friends with him, because gods they were so much fun to hang out with, each with their own unique spark and wit, funny and smart and utterly enchanting to be around.

Oh man, he was so screwed.

Next day at work, Eret noticed his distraction, inquired as to the cause when he noticed Hiccup frowning at absolutely nothing over lunch.

"You alright buddy?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, just... dating woes, I guess."

"Really? With that fresh hickey?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes - trust Eret to pick that out - but shrugged a minute later.

"Yeah... it's complicated. I'm hoping to resolve it in a few days, don't worry. Eat your sandwich."

"What are you, my mother?"

"Yep. Me and your dad weren't sure how to tell you, but now you know."

Eret choked on his drink, staring at Hiccup in horror before dissolving into laughter.

"That was a _truly_ disturbing mental image. I commend you."

"Thank you."

Thankful for the distraction, Hiccup quickly finished his meal and went back out to work early rather than deal with Eret trying to investigate whatever was going on in Hiccup's head. He was off work for the next few days and wouldn't see Eret again before he'd seen Astrid and Lillian, since Hiccup was off to look at Engineering courses and, sensing a better qualified worker he didn't want to lose, his boss had granted Hiccup the time off happily. Hiccup didn't plan on working in that garage forever, but it was a good job and he certainly didn't _hate_ it.

Of course with the looking into further education, he couldn't help but think about Lillian and her complicated formula in the cafe, when they'd first realised their nerdy likeness and bonded over intellectual pursuits as well as the similar sense of humour, sarcastic banter and enjoyment of sweet things like cake and pastry.

He found himself wanting to talk to them both a lot too. Lillian would understand if he wanted to talk about education being daunting, while Astrid would be encouraging him to go for it, seize the opportunity and so on. But Hiccup had resolved to talk to them in person, and it was only a couple of days. He wasn't _that_ hooked on them...

As the time they'd see each other finally rolled around, Hiccup was a little on edge, twitchy even. He busied himself with cooking, simply because if he let his mind wander in the kitchen, it could cause injury and so it kept his brain occupied, and meant his mother would be very happy about the existence of banana bread next time she came over. He made two - that way, he could offer the twins some, since they also liked it a lot. And it made his house smell _lovely._

Dumping the mess in the dishwasher, Hiccup pretended to read a book on engine parts until he heard the door knock, heart in his mouth as he headed to open it. Both twins were stood there, and Hiccup couldn't help but notice both bore fresh marks on their necks. He knew Astrid had playfully given Lillian one before, but had no idea whether the new ones were the result of them playfighting again, or perhaps other sexual partners... although, it had taken Lillian a while to get physical with him. Would she have hooked up with someone else so soon?

"Hey."

"Hey you."

"Oh wow, your house smells amazing."

Hiccup smiled to himself; it was very like Astrid to skip a hello.

"I was baking. There's banana bread in the kitchen if you want some."

"Does Lillian put military corners on her bed? Hel yeah I want some banana bread. Oh hey. That rhymed."

The three headed through to the kitchen, twins perching next to each other on stools while Hiccup retrieved the banana bread and nudged it over to them with a bread knife, which Lillian promptly confiscated before Astrid could just saw the loaf in half and call it an even split. At least, that was what Hiccup thought was going on.

"So" Astrid already had her mouth full, so Lillian was the one to speak "we were kinda curious. How come you specifically wanted to see us both?"

Oh, ok, he was being put on the spot. Swallowing thickly, Hiccup was sure he'd rehearsed his words so that he wouldn't immediately forget everything he wanted to say. Somehow, he had still forgotten.

"I uh... so I was talking to my mom the other day, and I got some clarity."

The twins looked at each other, not saying a word and yet Hiccup got the distinct impression an entire conversation could be shared between them that way. They were silently in sync, seemed to read each others minds.

"About us?"

"Sort of... more that I... oh man. Right. Ok. I can't choose between you. There. I said it. And I don't think it's fair of me to not acknowledge that and let you guys wait on me making a choice that I never will, and... yeah, I guess that's it. I uh... I hope we can still be friends."

His words seemed to hang heavy in the air, room silent save for breathing and the wordless discussion that Astrid and Lillian seemed to be having there in front of him. After a minute, Lillian nodded and Astrid responded in kind, before turning to Hiccup and looking a tad nervous themselves.

"And what if... what if we told you there didn't have to **be** a choice?"

-HTTYD-

 **Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn**


	16. Chapter 16

**So, as I know Australians read this (FF's reader count includes country) if anyone puts spoilers in reviews, you're a dick.**

-HTTYD-

The air was quite tense for a minute, anxiety and confusion fluttering around them as Hiccup frowned, trying to work out what the twins could have meant.

"... and how... what?"

The twins shared a look. Moment of truth. They couldn't take it back if they told Hiccup and he reacted badly.

"Well..."

"The thing is..."

"Lils and I are... together."

Well, there it was. Out in the open. To Hiccup anyway. He blinked several times, looking what Lillian could only describe as flabbergasted. There was still a shadow of bruising on his throat, almost healed but it spoke to how _recently_ it was that Hiccup was sharing each of their beds, before they went back to only using one.

"I can see th- _oh._ You mean... together together?"

The rapid cycle of emotions on his face was not terribly reassuring for anybody, but they could hardly just reach out and yank the confession back now he'd heard it.

"Yeah."

"I... you... the whole time we were...?"

"Oh. Uh. No. Sort of an old thing and a very recent development rolled into one."

It was recent... only a handful of days. Days Lillian had treasured every single second of, having missed Astrid's hold _so_ much, their playful physicality finally unrestricted again as it should be.

"A... what? I'm so confused."

Lillian could only look at Astrid, hoping she had some form of blunt and simple explanation to save her the trouble of trying to form a coherent, sensible one. Hiccup didn't look as though he were likely to process a long, deep explanation anyway. Astrid squeezed her hand, gave Lillian a reassuring smile.

"We were... a thing a while back, but we stopped. It's long and complicated. But now we are... dating isn't the right word, but I guess it gives you the vague idea of what I mean."

Hiccup nodded, slowly, still visibly stunned as he glanced between them and he had never looked so unsure. Well, not since the time he found out they were twins rather than one person.

"Should we... should we not have told you?"

Eyes turning to Lillian, Hiccup shook his head, voice a little rough.

"N-no. I'm glad you did. It's nice to have a reason, right?"

"A reason?"

He nodded, movement a little stiff.

"Yeah. When you get dumped. Although I guess that's not what this is, since we were never really _dating._ "

Clearly, Hiccup had misunderstood them saying there didn't need to be a choice, and the look on his face was heartbreaking.

"Wait, that's not-"

"What do you mean, getting dumped?"

Hiccup gestured vaguely at them.

"Well, what do you need me for? I'm just a guy who stumbled into your life a few months ago. You guys are... I can't compete with that."

Lillian supposed she could understand how Hiccup had reached the conclusion he had, even if it was the _wrong_ one.

"That's really not what we came here for."

"Huh?"

Feeling Astrid squeeze her hand again, Lillian charged forward. Verbally, anyway.

"Hiccup... _we_ still want you. Obviously, that's your choice, this is a weird thing to get in to and we know that."

"And if you aren't up to it, no hard feelings. But, well, the option is there."

Hiccup blinked, mouth opening and closing several times with nothing coming out before he uttered an actual response.

"I... I have no idea what to say."

"This probably isn't the ideal time to ask you, but it's sorta important. Are you going to _tell_ anyone about us?"

He looked up at Astrid, shaking his head.

"What? Gods no. It's... you know, _weird,_ I guess, but it's also not anyone elses business."

Both twins sank with relief; just because they had given up letting restrictions hold them apart didn't mean they were free of reprecussions if it were found out.

"Thank you."

There was a small smile on Hiccup's face for a second, but then it faded to be replaced by the prior bewilderment.

"I uh... I think that maybe I need time to think. This is, you know, a lot to take in."

"Of course. We uh... we'll leave you to it then."

"Wait" they turned, confused "you should take that. I made another one anyway, so you guys can keep that one."

He gave them a tub, and they put the leftover banana bread in it, feeling strange the whole time. Lillian let Astrid lead her away, and something about leaving Hiccup behind felt _wrong_ to her, as though they should be sitting down and talking it out with him, but he'd asked for space, time to process and gods only knew he'd been _so_ patient with her. He deserved that same courtesy.

"Hey, you ok Lils?"

Astrid waited until they were home to try and jog Lillian out of her thoughts, knowing she'd be turning it over in her mind and it wasn't a public conversation to have. Lillian nodded, all but leapt on her sister for a hug. Gods, would she ever get used to being able to hold Astrid like this again? It was so _perfect,_ so natural.

"Just... I don't want to lose him. He's good for both of us."

"I know. It probably would have taken _ages_ for us to get back here" Astrid gestured to the two of them "without that dork coming along and rocking the boat."

The way Astrid spoke put Lillian at ease a little more - she was saying they _always_ would have ended up back together, but Hiccup accelerated the process and Astrid agreed he was good for them. That if he wanted, they could maybe try to figure out some kind of weird three-way thing.

"He seemed surprisingly... unsurprised by us."

"I know. Maybe he just thinks identicals are like that. Even the ones who don't fuck are generally closer than fraternals or normal siblings."

Lillian nodded, sighing happily when Astrid let her nuzzle into her, luxuriating in her sisters scent, touch, the steady thrum of her heartbeat beneath her ear.

"Either that or he was _really_ shocked, and just waited until we were gone to freak out about it."

"Also a possibility. Guess we can only wait and see Lils. Try not to stress yourself out" Astrid pressed a soft kiss to her temple "I promise you'll still have me, Hiccup or no Hiccup."

"No more changing your mind?"

Astrid squeezed her tighter, drawing in a deep breath.

"Lils, being apart from you was the worst choice I ever made. I'm not stupid enough to do it twice."

"Good. Cus I can't handle losing you again."

Fingers slid through her hair, pulling Lillian ever closer as Astrid kissed her cheek.

"Never. I swear, I'll never do that to you again."

Settling comfortably against her sisters chest, Lillian smiled. Sure, Hiccup coming around would be nice, but... she had Astrid. Either way, she'd be fine. After some much needed snuggles, with stolen kisses and soft giggles, they got up to make dinner. Well, Lillian made dinner. Astrid pouted from the sidelines about being shooed away from things, though there were smiles whenever Lillian crossed the kitchen and pecked kisses on said pouting lips.

Leftover banana bread with equal parts chocolate spread and peanut butter on did the trick for after-dinner treats, though they did little for Lillian's wonderings about Hiccup. Astrid certainly helped... _distract_ her though, and the novelty of them falling asleep together, intentionally and _in the same bed_ was not even close to wearing off. Even Astrid's joking complaints about how Lillian fidgeted couldn't dull her joy.

"Lils, I have to go to work."

Sulking as Astrid tried to heartlessly abandon her when the bed was so comfy and warm, Lillian huffed.

"Stay here. I'll pay you to cuddle me."

Astrid laughed, shaking her head as she turned around and pecked a kiss on her sisters nose.

"I'll do that for free, but after I go kick some asses into gear. You have coursework to do anyway."

"Shhhh, no I don't."

"Lillian Grace Hofferson, are you skiving off of work?! Quick, someone call for an exorcism!"

Rolling her eyes, Lillian dragged Astrid back into the pile of covers, somewhat successful in convincing Astrid to stay... until the traitor began wriggling out again, much to her twins consternation.

"Astri-iiiiiiiid."

"Come on Lils, you _know_ I want to stay. Don't make being a grown up more difficult than it already is."

"Fine... I suppose I shall just have to go shower by myself."

Astrid turned around, visibly perking up.

"Now now, let's not be hasty..."

Well, they probably needed another shower, but the twins exited the bathroom some time later relatively clean and both grinning. After filling Astrid up on chocolate porridge, Lillian tidied up the kitchen while Astrid headed off to work, then went and hunted out all the discarded clothing from last night, sorting out which needed washing or just folding for now. Then work would not be put off any longer, but Lillian knew she'd simply laze around wishing Astrid was back if she stayed home to work. So, bagged up laptop, textbook and notepad ready, Lillian headed off to the cafe.

She wondered if it would suddenly stop being so cosy and easy there, if every time Hiccup saw her he avoided her because he thought she was some kind of pervert, twisted for loving Astrid as she did.

 _Ugh, this boy trouble was ridiculous!_

If Astrid hadn't got scared and broke things off, they'd probably never have encountered Hiccup and then she wouldn't-

"Hi."

Slightly stunned by his sudden appearance, Lillian looked up at Hiccup, who was holding his recently purchased reusable takeout cup, and looking at her like he was trying to work something out.

"Hi."

"I uh... I can't stay. But... you and. You know. I uh. I want to understand, I guess. Can we..." he was trailing off, stammering a little, obviously having _not_ prepared these words in advance - but that made sense, since he wouldn't have known Lillian would be there "talk? Like, can I learn about whatever it is? Make an informed decision or whatever. Or not. It might be really creepy and intrusive of me to ask. Sorry. I think I should just go."

"No, wait!" Hiccup stilled, looking at her with that same pondering gaze "it's not... you can. If you want. I mean, I need to ask Astrid first, but I'm ok with it. Can I... text you when I've talked to her? She's at work right now, but I'll bring it up later?"

After a minute, Hiccup nodded.

"Sure. I better go."

Really, it was unfair on both of them how badly Lillian wished he'd kissed her. He was still trying to work out _what_ he wanted, and Lillian knew that. But he was also already under her skin, and the budding crush was no longer small, and she needed the distinction of where 'they' might go before she could really deal with her feelings, work out if they needed to go away or not.

Waiting until Astrid came home to discuss it with her was a drag, but eventually Lillian was comfortably perched in Astrid's lap. enjoying gentle fingers sliding up and down her spine leaving lazy tingles in their wake.

"So he wants to understand _us?_ Well, I can't fault him for that."

"So you're ok with it?"

Astrid chewed her lip in thought, giggling when Lillian couldn't resist kissing said lip.

"Yeah I guess so. It just sorta goes against the whole secrecy protection thing we _had_ to have, but it's not like we're writing mom a coming out letter. It's Hiccup. We already told him. Hel, _invited_ him along. So yeah, it feels a little strange to be on board with the idea of telling someone, but I'm not against it."

"So, I'll invite him over? That way if he doesn't take it all great, he can just go?"

"Yeah. But I don't think he'll straight up bail. He'd hear us out if nothing else."

"Mmm" her back arched, Astrid finding a particularly tickly spot "yeah, probably. You are ok with this, right?"

"With... us?"

Lillian shook her head.

"With Hiccup. If you want it to be just us, then tell me. Don't just go along with something cus you think it's what I need. There's been enough of _that_ for a long time."

Astrid smiled, still stroking her back gently as her free hand sought out Lillian's, tangling their fingers together.

"I won't be _sad_ if it's just us, because I'll have you. But you know I crush hard on that dork too, and I won't be disappointed if he comes around and says he's on board either."

Smiling in return, Lillian agreed with the summation, squirming pleasantly when Astrid left kisses on the curve of her throat. Gods she'd missed this too much. Astrid's tactile, physical manner was a hard drug to wean ones self off, and she'd hated every minute of trying. But now she _didn't have to._ Never again.

"Let me text Hiccup first, else I'll be too distracted!"

Astrid rolled her eyes, but waited for Lillian to type out a text before pouncing, wrestling Lillian beneath her on the sofa and already starting to work on taking off her clothes, the familiar rush of heat under her sisters hands leaving Lillian breathless, needy. Her phone buzzed with a reply, but Astrid's hands were under her shirt and that was very distracting, even more so when hot lips closed over her own, swallowing down Lillian's gasps of pleasure hungrily.

Oh, it was so very easy to get lost in Astrid, and Lillian had no intentions of _stopping._

It was some time later when she managed to answer Hiccup's text again, Astrid's damp breath against her ear murmuring that maybe he knew why it had taken so long, her bare skin on Lillian's back hot and covered in sweat, pulling her closer in again.

"Why does it not surprise me you like the idea of him thinking about that?"

Astrid winked.

"Well, if we keep him he's gonna do a lot more than _think_ about it."

Rolling her eyes, Lillian let Astrid consume her attention again, content that at least they'd be able to talk to Hiccup tomorrow about everything. It was a step towards either closure or... something else. It eased the knot in her chest, that concern that they'd both managed to let Hiccup develop feelings for them only to take it away if he couldn't accept them. Now all she could do was wait until he came over a couple of days later.

"Are you on a mission to fatten me up so I quit my job?"

Astrid, upon returning from work to find Lillian baking again, complained - and snuck a taste from the mixing bowl as she did so.

"I bake when I'm in a good mood. You put me in a good mood. Nobody says you have to eat it, I can always take them to uni. They won't last five minutes there."

"Hey, nuh-uh! My sister, my cupcakes."

Grinning, Lillian shooed Astrid from messing with the tray waiting to go in the oven, pointing her to the ones already done.

"I might have to up my runs if you're gonna keep making tasty things."

"I don't know, you _have_ recently added a new daily workout."

Astrid choked on her cupcake, eyeing Lillian in surprise.

"I've created a monster... awesome!"

Baking and clean up and Astrid took up a fair amount of time somehow, and before Lillian really noticed, there was a knock at the door and her heart leapt up into her throat, Astrid squeezing her reassuringly before getting up to go answer it. Lillian couldn't help but follow, too pent-up to simply sit and wait for Astrid to bring him in. His eyes flickered between them, something loosening in his frame as he looked at the twins.

"Hi."

-HTTYD-

 **I am very unreliable and I know it, I thank you all for your patience and do not apologise for my cliffhangers. Heeeeheeee.**


	17. Chapter 17

**jImster3644 - because HTTYD3 is already out in Australia?**

 **darkwolf09 - That's not the aim, like, at all. Lillian isn't possessive/obsessive, she's just readjusting to something she thought was over. She instinctively seeks comfort from Astrid, because Astrid's her 'big sister', and has always assumed the older-sibling role even though they are twins. But the only possessive thing I saw last chapter was Astrid claiming her baked goods? And they were also talking about both liking Hiccup and yanno, wanting him in there. Not really... _possessive,_ is it?**

 **eagledragon15 - you're a misogynist and make a mockery of polyamory and romance. I have zero time for your opinions and I would block you from _reading_ these stories if I could, so honestly I'm glad that was your last review. **

-HTTYD-

Even with all the confused emotions tumbling about inside his mind, Hiccup couldn't deny he'd _missed_ Astrid and Lillian. Used to interacting with at least one, if not both nearly every day, either in person or by phone call or text, the sudden lack had been jarring.

And awkward, because his mind kept... _conjuring,_ pictures of what they might be doing now he knew what he knew, and Hiccup had to work not to let his mind run riot, to let the images affect what should be a far more serious decision than "possible threesome". Because sure, Hiccup could have opted to just go for that, but gods he owed the twins better than that. And he'd have regretted it, he knew, if it went wrong.

He valued their friendship, and the budding relationships that had been slowly cultivating individually. Far more than he valued the sexual aspect. If he leapt in too hastily because he was thinking with the wrong head, and _ruined_ their friendships, destroyed any chance of a relationship working because he hadn't come to real terms with what they'd told him? He'd hate himself.

"Hey."

"You coming in? Or are you loitering on our doorstep like a neighbourhood peeper?"

Hiccup frowned.

"Wouldn't the door be a really bad place to peep? Like, the peephole doesn't work in reverse that well. I guess I could peep through the letterbox, but that might be noticeable."

They both looked at him oddly for a minute, but Lillian was the first to break into giggles, shaking her head at him in exasperation.

"Trust you to think it through that much."

"If I had one, I'd probably put my cock through the letterbox."

Astrid was actually looking at the door, as though considering how to use it best for perverted purposes.

"I wouldn't. Cold. Metal edges. You never know what they might have to hand on the other side!"

The three of them were all laughing, and for a minute Hiccup felt like nothing had changed.

Then he remembered that it _had,_ saw the way Lillian reached for Astrid's hand when her twin stepped back from the door to let Hiccup in, the way the two twined their fingers together so easily, naturally. He recognised Astrid's handiwork upon Lillian's neck, saw similar marks littering the exposed skin along Astrid's collarbone. His face heated as those accursed _thoughts_ surged up, shoving them down as he stepped into their place, wondering if it would have made him look too presumptive or comfortable to kick off his shoes. He ended up doing it anyway rather than track his dirty shoes along their clean floors.

"Your house smells like my house."

"Yeah, Lils has been baking. And threatening to take the cupcakes away!"

"I did not! You complained about eating too much, I just said you didn't _have_ to."

Astrid rolled her eyes, pulled Lillian closer to her. Then she stilled, both glancing between each other and Hiccup. Sensing the hesitation, the unsurety, he sought to reassure them as best he could while still pretty confused himself.

"Don't... I don't want you to feel you have to behave differently around me. That's not what I'm here for."

After a minute, Astrid nodded, turned and pressed her lips to Lillian's temple. Eyes fluttered closed, Lillian leaning into her sister more with a soft smile on her face.

"Thanks."

He smiled in return, glad to see that at the very least, this development between them was solid, making them both happy. Not that he expected anything else; the twins wouldn't be together the way they were if it weren't what they both wanted. And clearly, they _fit._

"So, want to come try one of Lils cupcakes? Or shall we go right to the part where you wanna hear all the gory details?"

"Astrid!"

"What? Ok. Not _gory_ details. You know what I mean Lils."

Bemused, Hiccup watched their dynamic, undeniably intrigued. He'd never met any other identical twins, only fraternal twins, and while the twins he knew best were peculiar, he didn't think they were intimately involved. Now Hiccup was remembering all the ways they'd interacted before, wondering what was 'normal' twin behaviour, what was residual from their previous connection.

What made them break it off in the first place. And what brought them back together again.

"I... I want to understand. But you guys don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. I'm not here to invade your lives. I just..."

"Don't stress Hiccup. Honestly, Astrid, _we_ asked _him_ here!"

After a minute, Astrid seemed to deflate slightly, squeezing her arm around Lillian again.

"Yeah, alright. Cupcakes?"

"Says the girl who was complaining not two hours ago I was trying to fatten her up."

Giggling, Astrid stuck her tongue out at her sister.

"And I will continue to complain whilst eating the tasty things. Deal with it."

Hiccup padded along after them, still watching them. He'd seen that Astrid took on 'big-sister' between the two, more protective of her quieter, bookish twin, but Lillian also seemed to have a reigning-in, calming effect on Astrid. They balanced each other out nicely, but both shared that indomitable spark that drew Hiccup to the individual women. He felt a little wrong-footed by being led to their kitchen like a slightly awkward guest; he'd been a regular in the home for a while, and up until recently, more at ease than he currently felt.

"Wow. These _are_ good."

Lillian smiled sweetly, and his belly did something strange though not unpleasant when he watched Astrid feed her sister a piece of heavily iced confection, some of the frosting sticking on her nose until Astrid came in and licked it off, both giggling. Before, he wouldn't have necessarily thought it completely out of the realm of interactions for them as just very close twins, but now Hiccup saw their interactions in new light.

"Thanks. I like baking when I'm in a good mood."

"And I guess you've been in a good mood a lot lately."

As she looked at her sister, Hiccup was almost floored just to see the _love_ there, and questioned how the hel he had ever missed _that_ before. Astrid returned the same emotional stare, brushing crumbs from Lillian's lip with her thumb.

"You could say that."

"So, are we doing this conversation or not?"

There was more anxiety from Astrid than Lillian on this topic, he noted, curious as to the why of it all.

"You don't have to. Really."

"It's just... I guess you'll understand more soon. I'm just wary and trying to keep my sister safe."

"And I appreciate it, but Hiccup's already said he won't tell anyone else. If he does, I'll help you hide the body."

When they sat in the living room, Hiccup felt undue anxiety himself. Sure, they'd said he could come find out, but Hiccup still worried that the right thing to do would be to just take himself out of the equation, that he was prolonging the inevitable.

"So... what do you want to know exactly?"

Lillian settled against Astrid's chest, face saying there was nowhere in the world she'd rather be and Hiccup felt that worry spasm in his chest again.

"I uh... I don't really know what my place in all this is. I mean, you guys seem pretty set."

"I won't lie and say we'd be desolate and heartbroken without you here, but that would be true even if Lils and I weren't... but that's not the point."

"Exactly. We're happy as we are. But that doesn't mean there's no place for you. We both like you, and we want to see if it could really go somewhere."

"It's just a pretty big deal to even _talk_ about this with someone."

"Let alone invite them in."

At least with them sat as they were, Hiccup didn't have to look back and forth like a tennis match to keep track as they picked up and left off each others sentences, seeming to know by secret twin telepathy what the other would say and having a ready made follow on.

"But we also know this is a lot to deal with, and that you might not want to get involved."

"And if that's the case, we'll totally respect that."

Head starting to spin, Hiccup rubbed his face, groaning. How had a one night stand brought him _here?_

"Right. Uh. I don't even know what I want to know anymore... oh, hang on. How come you... you said it was an old thing _and_ a recent development. What happened in the middle?"

That was the thing that really played on his mind most. If they were so happy and well-matched - and Hiccup had seen that from the start, before he _knew_ about more-than-siblings - then what could have ended it?

"That was my choice. Well, choice is a strong word. Our parents never _really_ understood us being close, like, ever. It stopped being cute when we were five, apparently."

"And when Astrid came out saying she liked girls, they went from trying to stop us always sleeping in the same bed to deciding we shouldn't even share a bedroom."

"A little late though, don't you think Lils?"

The two shared soft laughter, smiles that said they had shared secrets.

"Yeah, but they don't know that."

"True. We uh, we kept it hidden for a while, but then our mom found out. I only told Lils that very recently. It's a _really_ long story, but basically... mother dearest said if I didn't break it off, she'd turn us in and, well, incest is illegal."

That hadn't entirely registered with Hiccup yet - but it was true. No wonder they worried so.

"And she did. And I never knew why until not long ago."

"Because mom knew you were the more defiant one, and that I'd do anything to keep you safe."

Astrid's arms tightened around Lillian, a shadow of something painful crossing both their faces. Gods, what must it have cost Astrid to go through that for so long, with Lillian obviously feeling betrayed and neither opening up properly about it?

"And she knew damn straight I'd have called her bluff and told her to stick it."

"Yeah, but if she'd actually done it, you could have been locked up. People would have thought you were a freak. I couldn't..."

Lillian twisted in her sisters hold, hand coming up to cup Astrid's face.

"I know, and I'm not mad at you. It's done. It's in the past."

He felt as though he were intruding on such a private, personal moment, but after Lillian pressed a soft kiss to her sisters jaw, she turned back to Hiccup. Though she also lifted one hand to rest over Astrid's, holding the hand sat over her stomach.

And then they kept going, talking Hiccup through the way their mother had kept a close eye on them, continued to put pressure on Astrid as recently as when they moved to the place Hiccup was now sat in. The rules - a multitude of things Astrid had to put halts to because she didn't trust her own strength of will against Lillian. Lillian's hurt and loss - it made Hiccup understand her reticence toward him all the more. They'd agreed to never have active interest in the same man, because it would be _too much like before,_ and then Hiccup had accidentally subverted that, and neither twin had put a stop to it because they wanted the other to be happy.

But now they were happy - with each other. Hiccup felt the question on his tongue, bitter but necessary before he could make a decision.

"So... I don't want this to come off wrong, but I need to know where I stand with... everything. Am I going to be some kind of... cover?"

The twins shared a silent, communicating look, Lillian the one to answer him eventually.

" _If_ you were on board with it, then yeah, ideally we would tell our parents Astrid has a boyfriend and leave me out of it. But... that isn't mandatory. If I have to, I will drop out, apply for student loans and go back to uni next year. It would just be a lot more convenient not to, but when it comes to Astrid it really isn't a dealbreaker."

"And as soon as Lils graduates, I would _love_ to tell mom we're both dating the same guy, watch her realise _exactly_ what that means and then never talk to the evil cow again. But again, it really isn't something we're going to demand from you."

"It would just be nice. Same as you, you know, being around. Not mandatory. Although I _would_ love to tell mom eventually that three people will be living in a one bed place and watch her blow her top trying to think how to tell people she wants nothing to do with her own kids."

Hiccup, who had always had an excellent relationship with his parents, and still did, was unsure how exactly to respond to the twins exchanging gleeful amusement at the possibility of fracturing the relationship with their own parents entirely. But, from what he'd heard, the parents in question hadn't exactly been trying to foster a close, tight-knit family even before the discovery of Astrid and Lillian's _very_ close, _very_ tight-knit relationship.

"Alright."

Having been giggling to themselves about such possiblities, the twins both fell silent, looking around at Hiccup with identical wide eyes.

"What?"

"I said... alright. I'm in."

-HTTYD-

 **Ugh I don't think this chapter came out at all like I wanted. But then they never do.  
**

 ***quietly hides under rock and hopes nobody hates it***


	18. Chapter 18

**Chinese government is a lie (interesting username I must say) - uh, you'll have to be a little more specific. Like, I only write adult students (college/uni) if they're getting it on with a teacher. What kind of teacher/student? What class? How do they hook up? Basically, before I agree to anything, I need a prompt.**

 **Nishnibbles - no such thing as late to this party, welcome! And yes, the tea cosy was a HP reference.  
**

 **And to the readership as a whole... if you guys turned up just for a threesome, I gotta say, you have some real patience...**

-HTTYD-

"Really? You're in?"

"Yeah. I... I've missed you both. And you guys are happy, and I'm not... it doesn't put me off like I think you expected it to. I won't pretend I understand _everything,_ but I don't want to lose either of you, and I can't say I'm upset about _not_ having to try and choose between you."

They looked at each other, silently communicating. Then smiling.

"We know it's a lot. We're happy to give you time to get used to it."

Astrid watched Lillian settle, residual tension completely gone from them both - even if Hiccup changed his mind on handling the whole threeway thing, she felt confident he wouldn't tell on them. Which meant Lils was safe, and that was all Astrid needed to know. Plus... she certainly wasn't _disappointed_ about Hiccup becoming part of them. They had fun, he was good in bed, he was sweet and funny and sassy - and he made _both_ twins happy.

 _And_ he cooked.

Really, Hiccup was the perfect guy to accidentally fall into their lives, at what seemed like the perfect time.

"So you're game for everything? I mean, us telling our parents I'm dating you?"

"Yeah. So long as you guys are willing to meet _my_ parents. I don't like lying to them, and it's been hard trying to not say too much because they'd go crazy about me having a girlfriend and so on, itching to meet her. My mom sort of knows I was, well, stuck between two people, but she doesn't know that said two people are twins."

Lillian glanced up at Astrid, seeing the same question in her face that Astrid had herself.

"You don't want to tell them about _this"_ Astrid gestured between herself and Lillian "right?"

"What? Oh gods, no. Like I said, that's... your business. And I don't think they'd necessarily understand that I was ok with it. But I would like them to get to meet you both. I really think they'll like you."

"Do you think you introducing identical twins as your girlfriends will raise eyebrows with them? Oh gods, they won't want to meet our parents will they?"

Hiccup shrugged.

"Maybe to the first, and if you tell them you dont' really get on with your own parents, then honestly my parents will probably just try to adopt you instead."

Lillian giggled, her good mood infectious and Astrid found herself smiling, Hiccup joining in.

"More than anything, my mom and dad just want me to be happy. So if I'm happy, they'll deal."

Well, Astrid reckoned between her and Lils, they could keep Hiccup _very_ happy. They had been doing a good enough job invididually, and now it was a team effort. He was still looking a little unsure, but Astrid had a plan on dealing with that pretty easily. A soft whisper against Lillian's ear had her in agreement, hopping up from Astrid's lap to cross over and pull Hiccup to his feet, drawing him down into a kiss. Astrid let herself indulge in watching, relieved to find there was still no jealousy now she and Lils were back together. She hadn't really expected there to be, but at least now she knew. Hiccup took a few seconds to respond properly, but then his hands were sliding up around Lillian's back, holding her to him.

He hadn't caught his breath when Astrid took over, feeling the familiar heat that had her all over him that first night roll through her, enjoying that soft sound in the back of his throat, the dazed look on his face when she pulled away at last. He jumped, twisting around to see Lillian with a perfectly innocent facial expression, but judging by the way she'd withdrawn her hand Astrid reckoned she had just grabbed a handful of Hiccup's awesome butt.

"What? I didn't do anything."

"And I was pretty sure I was in trouble when I only thought there was _one_ of you."

"Yeah, but you know, I think the benefits of this kind of trouble are good. I mean" Astrid slid her arms around Lillian, both grinning "we're pretty cute."

Hiccup's lopsided smile was her answer, in all its unfairly adorable glory.

"I can't argue with that."

Lillian turned her head, seeking a kiss from Astrid, which was quickly and happily granted. That slightly dazed look was back on Hiccup's face, Astrid noted with an inside thrill. Oh, they were going to have _fun._

"You ok Hiccup?"

"Hmm. Oh. Yeah. I uh... that's just gonna take some getting used to."

Astrid had no idea how it must look to someone else, watching them kiss. Probably like some kind of sentient mirror image - they didn't move exactly the same, after all. And _probably_ slightly disturbing to most, since generally people were averse to twins being quite so intimate.

"Well, you have time."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

Hiccup still didn't look disturbed. He looked... intrigued. And probably a little horny, but Astrid couldn't blame him. The longest he'd probably gone without getting laid in the last couple of months was when Astrid had her period, but it had been longer than that since he was last in bed with either twin now. Meanwhile she and Lils had spent more time in bed than out over the last few days.

Oh, now _there_ was an interesting thought...

"Earth to Astrid?"

Realising her mind had gone off on a little trip down fantasy lane, Astrid shook her head to clear the thoughts, wondering if Hiccup would mind terribly if she just jumped her sister there and then. Or if Lils would mind her inviting Hiccup in.

"Yep. Here."

Lillian eyed her suspiciously, little dip in her brow and pout on her lips. Gods, she was perfect. Astrid knew most people would assume that to be a simple vanity thing - and that was certainly part of it, the sameness, the familiarity. But it was _more_ than that. She adored everything about Lillian, inside and out, and their personalities and mannerisms weren't the same.

"Mhmm. I believe you. Anyway. Hiccup here was asking if we had dinner plans."

"Is that a subtle way to suggest he takes over the kitchen again and we bug him?"

Both twins looked to Hiccup, who shrugged, looking hopeful.

"If that's ok with you. Unless you, you know, want me to go?"

Checking with Lillian, Astrid shook her head.

"Nope. By all means, continue to be our kitchen slave. I think Lils even has some cuffs somewhere we can use."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow, glancing to a suddenly slightly sheepish twin.

"Oh really?"

"Astrid!"

"What? All you had to say was that I bought them for you. Or that it was a joke. But now you're blushing" Lillian glared, but it was true "so Hiccup knows its true, and" Astrid circled her fingers around her twins wrists, leaning in "that you like them."

Oh, Astrid was _never_ going to get enough of the sounds Lillian made, whimpering softly and giving Astrid a pleading look.

"I uh... yeah I'm gonna go into the kitchen."

Hiccup cleared his throat, his own face a little flushed and Astrid was biting back giggles at the fact he all but fled. She sincerely doubted he'd left because he didn't like it, rather more that he _did_ and didn't want them to notice. If he wasn't hiding his erection behind a cupboard door when Astrid followed him into the kitchen, she'd be amazed.

Admittedly, the only reason Astrid didn't have the same issue was the same lack of penis they'd discussed earlier, in that ludicrous back-and-forth about peeping and letterboxes. If she did, she'd probably have to hide erections too when Lillian made _those_ sounds, because they were **indecently** erotic. Her desire to drag Lillian to the nearest suitable surface wasn't helped by her sister kissing her, by hands sliding down her back to squeeze her ass, but with some Herculean effort, Astrid managed to resist.

"Asrtiiiiiid."

"I know, but I think Hiccup could do with a _little_ more time before that, don't you?"

"You say that, but you're the one who fucked him before you even knew his name."

"Yeah, well, that was before all... _this._ If we're gonna make something real and working out of all this, then lets not make poor Hiccup explode... yet."

She basked in her sisters giggles, still completely in love with the light, joyful demeanour Lils had. It was contagious, enthralling to watch her blossom so easily with no holds between them again.

"You're right, I guess. I can wait. Shall we go bug our... are we calling him boyfriend?"

Astrid considered the question for a minute, then nodded.

"Boyfriend sounds good to me."

* * *

It was all Hiccup could do to feign calm composure as he meandered around the kitchen, looking for things he could cook with - he normally had more of a plan, or brought things with him but that day had all been a little... winging it.

Not that it had turned out badly. Hiccup had got what he came for - answers. And _more -_ girlfriends, apparently. Although he wasn't sure if he was meant to call them that yet. Maybe he ought to ask.

"Whatcha looking for?"

The change in Lillian was incredible - it was subtle, she hadn't shaved her head or dramatically altered her wardrobe, but the happiness that just radiated off her was amazing. Astrid too - there was a contentment in her that was absent before, calming her slightly without dulling the fire that made her _Astrid._

"Uh, not sure. I'm figuring out what I can make or if I need to go out for stuff. This was less planned than when I usually make you guys food."

"Hmm" Lillian leant against the side, thinking "we have everything you used to make that chicken and vegetable bake before?"

Hiccup nodded.

"I can do that. Are you helping or restraining Astrid?"

"Please, restrain me!"

Lillian giggled, Astrid joining in as she smirked from her perch on a stool, picking at another cupcake.

"Do you need help?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Maybe you should go stop Astrid eating _all_ the cakes and spoiling her appetite."

"Have you _met_ Astrid? That is not possible."

"So I can eat all the cakes?"

Astrid asked hopefully, already holding the plate of them in one hand as though prepared to make off with them on the spot.

"If you want, but then Hiccup won't get any. Cake, that is."

Oh gods, now Lillian was in on the jokes? Hiccup was definitely in trouble. Trying to ignore the warmth creeping up his face, Hiccup hoped the fridge would cool him down as he stuck his head in there to retrieve ingredients, hearing whispers and more giggling behind him. He got the feeling there was some kind of evil plotting going on.

"Hey, that's a good question. Hiccup, put down the sharp thing."

Hiccup complied, lowering the knife he'd just picked up to start slicing, turning to Astrid.

"Yeah?"

"You're not gonna get all weird or possessive on us right? Like, Lils and I are still gonna be us when you're not here. If all we wanted was cock, I've got several in a box upstairs."

Now he could see why Astrid made him put down the knife - Hiccup suddenly found himself a little dizzy. He tugged at his collar, wishing some kind of ice cold breeze would turn up to cool his overly warm self down.

"That could sound really sinister. Also, I think you broke him Astrid."

"Uh. Right. Yeah. No" he shook his head, trying to organise his thoughts after Astrid put _that_ image in his head "I know you guys are like, a thing. It would be ridiculous of me to expect you to only be with each other when I'm here."

"Good. And on the other topic... are we exclusive? I mean, I think I'm pretty set, but if you expect us to be only sleeping with you, we'd expect the same in return. Open or closed?"

Hiccup definitely needed to sit down. Maybe even lie down... It felt like most of the blood in his body had gone to one specific location, leaving nothing to help his brain or his legs work. Astrid's bluntness was a blessing and curse.

"Right. Yes. Uh, I'm fine with exclusivity?"

Finally, Astrid seemed satisfied and allowed Hiccup to quietly try and collect himself, though it was nigh on impossible to shake those thoughts now she'd put them in his head. He wouldn't have been surprised to learn that was at least part of her plan. Astrid was evil like that. Brilliant, but definitely evil.

He wondered if they'd notice him sticking his head in the freezer to cool off. It was tempting. His hands finally stopped shaking so he could go back to slicing without hurting himself, prepping and mixing and flavouring things almost on autopilot. With everything in the oven tray, he put it in to cook and washed his hands, glad to be feeling more at ease in the twins place again rather than uncomfortable like earlier.

"Well, that needs a while to cook now."

"So lets go watch TV?"

Hiccup let himself be led, Astrid making herself comfortable leant against him before Lillian did the same against her sister. He floundered internally for a bit before settling properly, and once he stopped overthinking it, it was _good,_ comfortable and easy and just... felt pretty natural, really. The two Hoffersons looked quite content, and Hiccup had no complaints either. It didn't need overanalysing, he realised. They could just... be.

"I should check on dinner."

"But you're so comfy!"

"You can lie on him again after, let the man cook!"

Astrid pouted but relented, dragging Lillian closer and the last Hiccup knew before he made himself leave was the two playfully wrestling, kissing. Even as he flustered about it, Hiccup realised that they were appreciating that he had offered them something they hadn't had before - acceptance, the freedom to be exactly what they were to each other without judgement. They didn't have to hide from him, fear Hiccup's reaction any longer.

And he really liked that thought.

The food was almost done, so reluctantly Hiccup started locating cutlery and plates rather than go back to the warm cuddles on the sofa - else he wouldn't have left in time and then dinner might have been burned.

"Honestly" Astrid struck up conversation over dinner, gesturing with a forkful of chicken "I am amazed you were single when I met you. You cook. You're sassy and caring and funny. You're _great_ in bed. How were you so available?"

Hiccup shrugged, hiding his face in his drink.

"I uh, I'm awkward? If you remember, you came on to me. And you might not be aware, but there was a great internal debate before I approached Lillian in that cafe."

"Well, I'm not complaining. I think your awkwardness is sweet."

"And it meant we could kidnap you."

He grinned at Lillian's addition, supposing it was a compliment.

"Well, thank you. I think."

The evening wore on in much the same way - comfortable, easy, free. Only when Hiccup realised how _late_ it was did he suddenly find himself struck with awkwardness again. He wasn't about to insist they all... jump into bed or whatever, but he wasn't sure if he should bring it up, or just leave - but would that then make them worry he wasn't really interested? Would bringing it up make it look like he was expecting that? He doubted they'd feel pressured regardless, but Hiccup didn't want to upset them.

"Oh wow, it's getting late. I didn't realise... Lils, you are going to have to move eventually, you do know that?"

Lillian responded only with a low growl, indicating she was quite comfortable thank you very much. Hiccup chuckled, standing when Astrid moved to physically shift her protesting sister. He left them play-fighting on the sofa while he went to locate his shoes, only to find himself with an Astrid attached to his back. Literally, she ran up and jumped on him. Hiccup almost fell over in surprise.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

"Uh, to get my shoes?"

She slid down from his back, Lillian next to her as Hiccup found himself trapped between the twins and the wall.

"Aren't you staying?"

-HTTYD-

 **Oh, I'm sure Hiccup will have to think very... hard about that.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Yes, yes, these three are adorable together! Hehe.**

 **Props to ShipMistress for _three_ reviews last chapter, and for being 200th review too! Ahhh you are a good bean.**

-HTTYD-

"Aren't you staying?"

He was tempted. Oh so very tempted. But after a minutes deliberation, Hiccup shook his head and Lillian tried not to openly gape in shock.

"Uh... no. I mean, I want to, but... I have work early and this isn't just a one time thing to me. I can wait for... _that._ This is not a rejection."

Still a little surprised, Lillian _did_ understand and nodded, smiling at him.

"We get it."

"We can wait too."

They both kissed him goodbye, drawing it out longer than strictly necessary and sending one very dazed, dopey-grinning man off home. Astrid pulled her into a hug after the door closed, squeezing Lillian tight and giggling.

"That went..."

"Perfectly. I mean, it would have been fun if he stayed" Astrid nodded in agreement "but if he's not ready, that's fine too."

"Yeah, definitely. This is more than that night in the club."

Lillian hummed as Astrid kissed her, feeling fingers slide down her arms and rest on her elbows. Her hands were warm, comforting.

"I should certainly hope so. There's two of us now."

Astrid laughed, burying her face in Lillian's neck as they hugged.

"Double trouble. Come on, lets go clean up and go to bed."

Well, that was an invitation Lillian had yet to refuse. They tidied up the leftover mess - there wasn't much, Hiccup cleaned up after himself all the time - and shut off the TV, grabbing drinks before they headed up to Astrid's room. It was rare they slept in Lillian's room; she was still emotionally giddy about being allowed back in Astrid's bed, and Astrid wasn't much fussed either way so long as it meant bed with Lillian.

Playful wrestling led to the inevitable messy aftermath, Astrid slumping against Lillian with a grin, fingers dancing across sweaty skin, pink lips swollen with kisses pressing to her shoulder.

"I love you Lils."

"Love you too" Lillian turned her head, kissing Astrid's hairline "even if you bite."

"Hey!" Astrid nipped her "you like it and you know it."

Giggling, Lillian conceded her point.

"Alright, fair enough. You're still a pain in the butt."

"Nah. That's Hiccup."

Lillian couldn't help laughing, remembering that morning quite vividly, how Astrid had had to sit herself quite carefully after the first night with him.

"Not all of us go that far on... I suppose you can call it your first date."

Astrid winked.

"What can I say? Wasting time sucks" eyes turned to Lillian, deep meaning hidden behind the next words "and I've learned not to do that anymore."

"C'mere you sap."

Astrid liked being big spoon but Lillian got away with it sometimes, pulling her sister into a cuddle to settle down for the night. It was unpleasant to drag herself out of the warm nest of covers, even more so when Astrid was making many good points about why Lillian should skip class, but eventually she found herself yawning through a lecture, averting her eyes a little sheepishly when Astrid's marks on her skin were noticed.

"Seriously Lils" Lillian winced; only Astrid got to call her that "we know you're seeing someone. Spill!"

"It's _Lillian._ And I don't want to spill anything. I am allowed a private life."

Grumpy about being denied gossip, her friends pestered a little longer before moving on to another topic; it wouldn't be the last time they asked, but Lillian had never had a better reason to lie than for Astrid. And just the _freedom_ they got from being able to be _them_ in front of Hiccup... that had been incredible, after they'd never been able to breathe a word to another living soul. He was just... something unique.

"We didn't get an answer on when we were seeing him again."

Astrid frowned. Well, after trying again to get peanuts down Lillian's shirt when she wasn't looking.

"No, we didn't. Text him, he might still be at work right now and can't answer his phone."

Lillian nodded, tapping out a text before catching the next peanut projectile and flinging it back at Astrid. Astrid pouted, resumed eating properly while they waited for Hiccup's answer. It was a fairly short wait, his reply a query of when both of them were available for a few hours next. Asking Astrid, Lillian sent him a response, got one in return and passed it on to Astrid.

"My gods, he is such a dork. Why is that our type all of a sudden?"

"I think it's always been _your_ type. I never really had a type besides you."

Astrid hummed, head eventually tipping in agreement.

"Yeah, true. But you're _my_ dork. And now he's _our_ dork. I guess I'll get used to all the dorkery."

"You'll love it and you know it."

Astrid rolled her eyes, putting the peanut pack aside and crawling over Lillian, who playfully nudged her away.

"Those things make your breath smell terrible."

"Tough luck" Astrid kissed her, grinning "you'll live."

Waiting a few seconds so Astrid's guard was down again, Lillian slipped her hand down and poked Astrid under the ribs, seeing her eyes widen in response to the impending tickle-attack. Then there was much squealing and fighting, pleas for mercy and threats of harm interspersed with shrieking giggles, Astrid eventually managing to regain the upper hand and pin Lillian under her, face clearly promising revenge.

"Hey, you kissed me with peanut breath first."

"You tickled me! That is so much worse!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not! You could have just brushed your teeth, but nooooo."

"Drama queen. You're lucky you're so cute."

"I could say the same to you."

* * *

Hiccup was, admittedly, nervous. They'd agreed, but he still thought they might think it was a little cheesy.

But then, he supposed he ought to start as he meant to go on. He wouldn't suddenly become suave and cool just because he had two girlfriends now. So they'd better get used to cheesy, slightly awkward romance, really.

He had been worried about asking them out together - they had legitimate concerns, he knew - but the twins had agreed pretty quickly. Hiccup would follow their lead on what was ok outside and what wasn't. Shouldering his bag, Hiccup headed out to meet them. They were already attracting attention just by standing there, identical adult twins clearly not something the local park-goers were used to seeing.

"Hey, look who finally decided to show up!"

"I'm not late am I?"

Hiccup checked his watch, frowning.

"No, Lils was insistent we be early. You know how she is."

Astrid approached and took his hand, leant up to kiss him. Lillian approached his other side and gave him a hug, a little disappointment clear that she couldn't interact with either of them in a romantic way.

"I'm not that bad!"

"Uh-huh. Why is that guy looking at us like we're committing murder?"

"What guy?"

Astrid pointed, and Hiccup snorted in amusement.

"That's my cousin."

Scott - or Snot - was staring, open-mouthed, as Hiccup stood with the two identical twins. He wondered if Snot remembered Astrid from the club that night.

"Your cousin... the one who made you come out that night?"

"Yeah."

Astrid squeezed his hand, grinning.

"I'll send him cookies."

"I feel insulted. What did he do to deserve that?"

"Hey! Low blow!"

Hiccup tried to look innocent, but it was near impossible when Lillian was in fits of laughter at their side.

"He's not wrong! Maybe _I_ should send him cookies."

Astrid scowled.

"I hate you both, you're terrible."

"Then you don't want the banana bread in my bag?"

That got Astrid's attention, lips twitching as her scowl faded.

"Are you two in cahoots to fatten me up? Because I swear, it's working. Come on, if you feed me I might forgive you eventually."

Well, Hiccup would take that option happily. They walked for a little bit, and Astrid called him a dork for bringing an actual picnic blanket when they found some clear space to set up in for lunch.

"Surprised you didn't bring it in a wicker picnic basket too."

"If I had one I might have done just to annoy you."

Astrid failed miserably in the whole 'not laughing' at his quip, she and Lillian sinking down either side of him and being very happy that he'd brought food. Nobody was close enough to them to overhear if they chatted quietly enough, and Hiccup laughed between sandwiches and snacks as they told him about an incident involving peanuts and tickling.

"This was after she kept trying to get them down my shirt."

"I totally was not!"

As if to disprove her own innocence, Astrid then flicked a grape at her sister. Lillian was wearing a high enough collar that it didn't get down her shirt, but Astrid looked pleased with herself all the same.

"Can't take you anywhere!"

After eating, Astrid kicked off her shoes and stretched out in the sun, eyes closed as she basked in the warm rays. Hiccup caught the way Lillian eyed the skin bared between t-shirt and shorts, a fading bruise evident on one of Astrid's hips, the image of Lillian making that mark with her teeth leaving Hiccup suddenly much warmer under the collar. He really needed to calm that down; he was trying not to rush into anything, but it wasn't easy. He'd been powerfully attracted to each of the twins beforehand - physically and emotionally, to their looks and their individual personalities alike.

And now they were dating, all three of them, and it was somehow easy and simple. So far. But Hiccup was wary of himself. Was he sexualising the bond between Astrid and Lillian too much? Would he feel like he was in the way? What if he said something or did something wrong? It had been tricky to navigate individually; he had no clue how it was meant to work with three together. Was there a fairness quota he'd have to meet? Was that even up to him, or did Astrid and Lillian already have ideas about how things would work?

He was a little afraid to ask, in case they thought he was assuming too much. And it was starting to make his brain hurt.

"You ok Hiccup?"

"Hmm? Yeah, fine Lillian."

He offered her a smile, which she returned, but there was still a hint of questioning in her face he could see before he turned around again, watching Astrid shift to get comfortable, cracking an eye open to peer over at them.

"Are you both just watching me?"

"Maybe. What you gonna do about it?"

Lillian answered, and Astrid raised an eyebrow.

"Don't challenge me just cus I can't jump on you in public. I will remember and I will get you later."

"Mhmm. Whatever you say Astrid."

Astrid growled; Lillian giggled. Hiccup kept out of it lest he invoke the wrath of both twins. He might not survive.

"Banana bread is a dangerous addiction. What have you done to us Haddock?"

"You asked to be fed!"

"That is not the point. Ask Lillian."

Shaking his head in a sort of fond exasperation, Hiccup chuckled. Lillian nodded sagely.

"She's always telling me my food is amazing, then complaining it's too good a minute later. Honestly, just feed her and tune out the complaints."

"Heard that."

"Good."

Hiccup walked them home after they were done with lunch, and he was again reminded that he was a dork for taking them on a picnic, but also reminded he was _their_ dork and that they had a lot of fun.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. And you should get used to it. I'm always gonna be a dragon geek."

"Yeah, but luckily we seem to be into dragon geeks."

"Which reminds me, I need to come over and get the next book. Your mother has a fan in me."

"And a son, occasionally."

Hiccup turned to Astrid, who looked shamelessly amused at her own joke as she took her shoes off by the door.

"Not lately."

Lillian commented from next to her.

"No, that's true."

The conversation was rapidly careening away from Hiccup's expectations into territory he was not sure how to work his way around. Gripping the strap of his bag, Hiccup cleared his throat.

"So, I uh, better get going."

"Hey" Astrid's hand on his arm stilled him "can I ask you something?"

Fairly sure he could guess the nature of her question, Hiccup nodded anyway.

"Is this... are you really not ready for us, or is it something else?"

"Like what?"

Lillian picked up; their knack for it was uncanny.

"Like you thinking you'll be in the way or something."

Hiccup swallowed thickly, not responding but his silence was answer enough.

"Hiccup, you're so conflicted about whether or not we need you, but you don't seem to recognise that we _want_ you."

Astrid added on, seamless as ever.

"Which honestly, is the better option for everyone."

"What do you mean?"

"If you think about it, if we actually _needed_ you, and you had taken the news about me and Lils badly, it would have been really bad."

"Whereas if we want you, and actually have you, then it's just... all positives, but we'd have been ok if not."

"We can't do this if you're going to be so insecure and worried about it. Not for long. So, I'll ask you again" Astrid was very close all of a sudden, backing Hiccup up until his bag hit the wall "are you staying?"

-HTTYD-

 **Well, what do we think? Is he?**


	20. Chapter 20

**To the Guest who wrote "Get on with the smut", I cannot tell you how much I thought about dragging it out more just for that. I do _not_ respond well to entitled whining, if you want things to happen on your schedule, write your own damn story. I can _easily_ abandon this story if you turn up with that shitty attitude again. **

**To the Guest who called me a "mean tease"? Yes, yes I am!**

-HTTYD-

His breath hitched, probably not helped by Lillian joining Astrid in surrounding him.

"I... uh... yes? But I have to go _first."_

"Why?"

"Well, if you want me to spend the night, I need my work stuff for the morning."

Astrid groaned, but conceded his point. She didn't want him leaving sooner than he had to once they'd successfully dragged him off to bed. Hel, he probably wouldn't have the _energy_ to by the time she and Lils were done with him.

"This better not be an escape trick."

"It really, really isn't. It's more a... I don't want to have to leave again before I need to."

"Hm. What are you still doing here then?"

"Astrid!"

Lillian admonished her, rolling her eyes when Astrid pouted.

"What? The sooner he leaves, the sooner he comes back. I'm only being logical here."

"You should be nice. Else he might not come back."

Astrid crossed her arms, eyeing Lillian.

"I seriously doubt that" turning to Hiccup, she gestured to the door "go on, shoo. Hurry back."

Chortling, Hiccup shook his head with a fond smile fighting its way across his mouth. Lillian pointedly glared at Astrid, stretched up to kiss Hiccup goodbye. Lils definitely drew it out longer than a simple goodbye kiss, and the dopey smile on his face made Astrid's belly flutter.

"What was I doing again?"

"Leaving. So you can come back and not leave again."

"Ever. We're keeping you."

"Astrid!"

Lillian nudged her, playful enough to completely counter the faint scolding in her face.

"What? You said be nice!"

"I didn't say threaten to hold him hostage."

"I don't think he'd mind."

 _Eventually,_ they managed to let Hiccup go so he could get his things. It wasn't easy... even less so when Lillian pointed out they ought to wait for him to come back before they headed to bed.

"What if he knocks the door and we don't hear it or answer? He might run away."

"Ugh, fine!"

Astrid picked Lillian up and carted her over to the sofa, crawling on top of her sister and slumping there with a grinas Lillian protested, mock-shoving Astrid and complaining she was heavy.

"You weren't complaining before."

"You were naked before, that was different."

"Hey, don't blame me, waiting for Hiccup was _your_ idea."

Shaking her head, Lillian glanced at the time.

"I'm gonna go shower before he gets back."

"Alone?"

Astrid asked hopefully, Lillian looking contemplative.

"Depends on if you can keep your hands to yourself."

"Now where's the fun in that?"

"I'm thinking more of time."

Huffing, Astrid supposed she'd be getting hands on Lillian soon enough, and could settle for just getting to see her naked in the interim. Plus, a shower sounded good anyway after lying in the grass earlier, so Astrid hopped up and pulled Lils along with her to the bathroom, taking great joy in undressing Lillian first. There were playful touches, stolen kisses and joking fights over who got to be under the water, warm lips against her shoulder when Lillian washed her back for her, taking great care to rinse every last bubble from her skin and squeezing at her ass while still holding the washcloth. When Astrid turned to look, Lillian was the picture of innocence.

"Do me?"

"Yes please."

Giggling, Lillian turned so Astrid could clean her too, returning the sweeter gestures like shoulder kisses, and the not-so-sweet ones like ass grabbing. Lillian made a soft sound of need, arching slightly into Astrid's touch and she had little doubt that Lillian could easily be convinced into a pre-Hiccup quickie. But he'd be back soon, and so Astrid reluctantly let her go, ensuring she was clean and climbing out of the shower.

"Damnit Astrid, why do you only have self-control after you've got me all hot and bothered?"

"Like I said, waiting was your idea. Come on, he won't be long."

Clean, dry and cuddled up together on the sofa, they enjoyed each others quiet presence for a while as they waited, Lillian's fingers slipping under Astrid's shirt to draw idle shapes across her stomach. They weren't left waiting much longer before there was a knock at the door, a concentrated effort on Astrid's part not to go leap onto Hiccup there and then. It was tempting, but she figured he could at least be allowed to put down his bag first. Maybe take off his shoes.

"You took your- oh."

It was lucky Astrid didn't throw herself upon him as the door opened, because that would have been incredibly awkward. It wasn't Hiccup at the door.

"Nice to see you too Lillian."

"I'm _Astrid._ I was expecting someone else mom."

Hiccup had been able to tell them apart for ages - what was their mothers excuse, really? Lillian hovered nearby, and honestly it was sheer luck they were even fully dressed. Still, their mothers eyes slid from one twin to the other, and Astrid was sort of holding her breath the whole time, hoping it went unnoticed that they basically had matching lovebite marks on their necks.

Their mother didn't wait to be invited in, all but shoving her way past Astrid into the house. They'd had no warning, but then that wasn't unusual - it was how they got caught in the first place. Lillian had a frown on her lips, though when their mother passed her it fell into a deep scowl; it was the first Lils had seen of their mother since finding out about her breaking them up before. Already Astrid was hyper-aware of herself, her sister, whether they were standing too close together or whether the way they looked at each other was too obvious.

"Mom, this isn't a good time."

Oh, Astrid realised her mistake a heartbeat too late, seeing her mother grow immediately suspicious about Astrid's eagerness to be rid of her, the casual way both of her daughters were dressed. Before more could be said, a voice floated through from the front of their home.

"Hellooooo? Your door is open, did you do that on purpose?"

Oh gods. Hiccup. Hiccup and their mother in the same place.

Wait.

That might not be such a bad thing. Astrid called back out to him.

"Just come on through babe!"

"Babe?"

"Yes. Like I was saying, not a great time, I was expecting someone else. Namely, my boyfriend."

And Lillian's boyfriend. But Astrid wasn't adding that. Wasn't going to tell her mother that once she was gone, the three of them would be spending a great deal of time entombed in bedding, navigating this new chapter of their relationship in all manner of heated, messy ways. Hiccup made a noise as he took off his shoes, soft sock-clad footsteps bringing him along until he found them.

"Hey, how come- oh. Hi."

He stopped short when seeing their mother, visibly panicking for a minute until Astrid approached and slipped her arm around him, leant into Hiccup with a smile.

"Hey babe. Missed you."

Hiccup faltered for only a second before picking up that he should play along, smiling down at Astrid.

"I missed you too milady."

Reluctantly, Astrid indicated the evil creature in the room with them.

"Hiccup, this is our mom. Mom, this is Hiccup."

"What kind of a name is-"

"A nickname."

Hiccup answered quickly, obviously used to having to answer that question. Astrid watched her mother, more tense than she looked but she could feel Hiccup rubbing a soothing circle into her lower back.

"How come I've not heard about this _boyfriend_ of yours?"

Astrid heard the suspicion in her voice, but did their mother really think she'd set up a man waiting outside handily, just in case they were invaded by the woman eyeing them?

"We only started going out recently."

"Why was Lillian at the door with you?"

Damnit, she wasn't even being subtle now. If Lillian and Hiccup knew nothing of the suspicions, the _history_ there, it would have been such a weird question to ask.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Hiccup somehow had that question in hand, sliding his bag from his shoulder and dropping down to root through it "here you go Lillian. The next book, as promised."

Lillian took it, offered Hiccup a tight smile; Astrid could see how much she loathed their mothers presence, but she was putting on a brave face, a mask for their secrets.

"Thanks. I'll uh, make sure you get the other one back before you go."

Hiccup smiled back, slipping his arm back around Astrid, fingers brushing the base of her spine and oh she was going to get him back for that, fighting to suppress a shiver as her body remembered the keen anticipation from earlier. They _really_ needed to get rid of the unwanted guest.

"So, mom, did you come here for anything in particular? I have... plans."

She turned eyes to Hiccup, enjoying the hitch in his breath when she bit her lip; even nervous, he was affected by her.

"I thought I'd check in."

 _You mean check **on** us, meddling old hag. _

"Well, Lils is about to vanish to her room with her new book and some headphones. We'll be vanishing too, so if you hang around you'll uh... hear things. Fair warning."

She could see how her mother wanted to explode, anger making the muscle in her cheek twitch, her jaw tightened, breath drawn in with an audible sound. But she wouldn't dare do it in front of Hiccup, not when she was obviously hoping Astrid had somehow become 'normal', as though a boyfriend was all it took to 'cure' Astrid of falling in love with her twin.

"Fine. I will come and see you again soon."

Astrid heard the unspoken threat laced in her tone - she'd be checking that Astrid really did have a boyfriend, that nothing _wrong_ was going on in that house. She could only assume their mother had heard from someone that Lillian or Astrid had been seen with a man, and since their mother couldn't tell them apart, she'd have no way of knowing which. So the 'checkups' appeared re-started. Astrid was just glad to lock the door a minute later, slumping against it with a sigh.

"So... that was your mother."

"Yep. But I don't wanna talk about her. Come on, bed."

Now that the unpleasantness was over with, Astrid had a good mind to get to the _much_ more pleasant activities, grabbing Hiccup's hand and beckoning Lillian along with them.

* * *

Shaking with anger might have been a dead giveaway, so Lillian forced herself not to think too hard about what she knew now, how the woman looking around at the three young adults had caused her own children such heartbreak.

Astrid though... Astrid was amazing, kept any dangerous secrets well hidden whilst all the while giving their mother attitude, and all but saying "I'm gonna go fuck this guy whether you're here or not" to boot.

Gods, she loved Astrid so much. Taking a few seconds to ensure Hiccup's book went to her room, out of danger of being knocked off or otherwise damaged, Lillian hastened back to Astrid's room, all but crushing Astrid in an embrace, soft kisses reassuring her alongside sweet whispers.

"I know Lils, but she's gone now."

Growling, Lillian urged her sister backwards to the bed, crawling over her, covering Astrid's mouth with her own, seeking the reminder Astrid hadn't been scared off by their mothers reappearance. Astrid returned the kiss fiercely, undoubtedly knowing _exactly_ what went through Lillian's mind, curling a hand around her neck, the other moving to rub a thumb over her jaw.

"It's ok Lils. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

She whimpered softly, inhaling Astrid's scent to settle herself before nodding. Drawing in a deep breath, Lillian pushed herself up into a kneeling position, leaving Astrid beneath her for the moment as she twisted to look at Hiccup. The poor lad looked torn between whether or not he was allowed to look at the intimate moment just shared, and Lillian was wary of him being scared off by that 'third wheel' concern again.

"You just gonna stand there or what?"

He shrugged, but he was looking at her properly again at least.

"I uh... I guess I don't know the etiquette here."

"Neither do we. But we're not gonna figure it out with you lurking in the corner like a poltergeist."

Astrid laughed from where she lay on the bed, hand coming up to stroke Lillian's stomach where skin was visible between top and waistband. Hiccup finally approached, yanked down to their level by Lillian grabbing hold of his jumper. Climbing over to him now she could, Lillian pressed him down with hands on his shoulders, leaning in to kiss him, revelling in the freedom to do so, the freedom to want two people and there be no judgement between them.

Fingers ran up over her back, Astrid kneeling at their side and stroking her, encouraging, letting Lillian know it was ok with a wordless gesture - she hadn't been worried, but Astrid's assurance was still welcomed. Pushing at the hem of his jumper, she tickled at his lean stomach and grinned as Hiccup squirmed.

"Off."

Hiccup struggled to comply with Lillian still straddling him, but by the time Astrid was done stealing kisses from her lips, Hiccup was topless, eyes wide and fixed on the two of them. She could hardly blame him; it must still look a little strange, she supposed, but also they'd effectively given Hiccup _permission_ to enjoy seeing them together when they invited him to their bed. It could have become problematic if he didn't.

Astrid caught her eye, silently asking how Lillian wanted to proceed; there were plenty of ways to be explored, and they'd not get them all tonight. But then, that was the fun of agreeing to make something _real_ out of them... they had time. Humming, Lillian indicated Hiccup.

"I think he deserves round one, it's been a while for him now."

Grinning, Astrid nodded in agreement.

"Mind if I have him first?"

Gut tightening at the images that filled her mind, Lillian shook her head.

"Oh no, be my guest."

She slipped from atop Hiccup, watching Astrid take her place eagerly. Hiccup responded happily, admittedly more familiar with Astrid's kiss, Astrid's body than he was with Lillian's, but again - they had _time_ to rectify that. Time Astrid certainly wasn't wasting, already tugging open Hiccup's jeans. His back arched, gasping as Astrid reached in and squeezed him, pulling restrictive fabric away to stroke his cock.

 _"Someone's_ a little sensitive."

"Uhhh..."

Hiccup seemed unsure what to say, more focused on Astrid's grip as his hips tried to buck, unsuccessful with Astrid still sat on top of his thighs. His noises became higher, needier when Astrid shimmied down, tongue dragging up the underside of his cock before her lips sealed around his head. They'd never seen each other like this before. During sex? Certainly. But with each other, not a third person. Lillian observed different things without her mind distracted by the pleasure of Astrid's touch on her body, able to focus somewhat even as she felt herself grow wetter, aroused simply watching the other two.

Astrid was more aggressive, shifting herself until she could take Hiccup down, down, _down..._ only coming up when she needed to breathe before his cock was sliding down her throat again. Hiccup was fisting at the sheets, muscles in his upper body tightening and relaxing as he panted, awestruck eyes fixed on Astrid as she worked him with that mouth Lillian knew all too well was incredibly talented. Blue eyes found hers when Astrid came up for air again, holding Lillian's gaze as she pumped Hiccup with her hand again before looking over at her willing victim.

"You doing alright there Haddock?"

"Peachy!"

She released him - probably so Hiccup could catch his breath - and crawled over to Lillian, kissing her with the taste of Hiccup still on her lips, nuzzling her neck sweetly before twisting to look at Hiccup.

"Get your bottoms off."

Hiccup didn't need asking twice, much like Lillian needed little excuse to undress her sister, basking in the feel of hot skin under her hands, the way Astrid was a mix of soft curve and solid muscle. Tugging her shorts down and knowing Astrid hadn't bothered to put on anything underneath, Lillian grinned as her fingers slid through Astrid's slickness, circling her hot little clit and feeling Hiccup's eyes on them as Astrid bucked, mewling and rolling her hips into Lillian's touch. It was a heady feeling, letting Hiccup's gaze on them be a thrill rather than a threat. He was stroking himself slowly, watching them and the idea he was getting off just _looking_ at them sent a rather pleasant shudder down Lillian's spine.

"Go on. Hiccup's waiting."

Astrid groaned in mild frustration when Lillian's fingers stilled, but she soon perked up remembering Hiccup was indeed ready and waiting for her.

"I actually came over here for condoms. You distracted me with your face."

"We have the same face!"

"That is not the point" Astrid kissed her, grinning "and you know it."

"If you say so."

Astrid reached past her, fishing out protection from the bedside before shifting her naked self quickly toward equally naked Hiccup. There was a brief fumble to get the condom on him, and then Astrid was lifting, guiding him, Lillian riveted to the way Astrid's face shifted as Hiccup filled her. They settled, both sucking in ragged breaths as they adjusted, Astrid wiggling to get into a better position and Hiccup hissing at the feelings inspired by her incessant shifting.

"You not joining the party then?"

Hiccup was looking at Lillian, expectant and seeming faintly perturbed she was still dressed at all.

"You're serious?"

He nodded, smug smirk beginning to play across his lips.

"You can stay there and watch if you like, but I've got somewhere better for you to sit."

Lillian had all but forgotten how Hiccup could slide from nerves to that comfortable, playful partner in bed, and Astrid sitting on his cock was a pretty solid sign he was wanted and welcome there. Astrid was nodding, clearly more than happy to play along with Hiccup's game. Wriggling out of her clothes, Lillian was positioned over Hiccup's mouth, facing Astrid and _holy Hel_ Hiccup was a genius. She could hear, touch, _see_ Astrid as her twin began to move, riding Hiccup slow and steady at first. All the while, Hiccup's hands were on her ass, her thigh, wet tongue swiping over sensitive nerves, his fingers squeezing to hold her upright as Lillian trembled.

It was too much to handle, really, but she'd be damned if she didn't give it her best shot. Lillian struggled with where to keep her eyes, her blood heating as she watched Hiccup's cock disappear into Astrid's body over and over but the _sight_ of Astrid's face, twisting so beautifully in pleasure... it was equally intoxicating, leaving Lillian half-drunk on it all and well on her way to complete delirium. Which wasn't helped at all by Hiccup's hungry mouth on her, tongue dragging across her clit in agonisingly wonderful strokes while Astrid braced one hand on Hiccup's torso, the other coming up to play with Lillian's chest and she had no idea how Astrid had that kind of _focus_ because her own mind was already melting...

Astrid slid her hand up over Lillian's shoulder, drew her closer, kissed her, the incredibly surreal situation occurring to her that it was _working,_ that they had someone who accepted them, their relationship, wanted actively to be a part of it - and apparently, encourage them to enjoy each other too - had her reeling, shaking, teetering on the edge of climax almost impossibly fast. Astrid let her go for a minute and Lillian almost complained, falling quiet to watch avidly as Astrid reached up to untie her hair, letting the blonde strands fall down around her shoulders, wild and untamed as Astrid ever was. She _knew_ how weak Lillian was for such a sight, knew it would only push her higher, let the surging heat between her thighs grow until she could contain herself no longer.

Hiccup's hands on her gripped tight, Astrid suppporting Lillian as she shuddered and bucked, pushing down shamelessly against Hiccup's eager tongue to wring those last few pulses of heat from herself before she grew too sensitive, panting and shaking as her body fought to regain some semblance of control over her limbs. Astrid was watching her, devouring every detail of watching her come at anothers touch and the fire in her eyes suggested it was an enjoyable view. Lillian could relate; Astrid looked incredible right now, not moving much except to help Lillian down... Hiccup could probably do with catching his breath.

Astrid all but lunged at his face, lazy heat rolling through Lillian as she watched Astrid taste her on Hiccup's lips, licking his face and grinning as the man groaned, trying to chase her mouth for proper kisses, stroking her hips, rubbing her back as Astrid straightened up to resume riding him properly. It was clear neither of them would last much longer, the cords of Hiccup's neck standing out and Astrid's thighs flexing tightly against his waist, fingers digging in to his chest and her teeth biting down on her lower lip.

Both were making desperate, keening sounds as they moved together. Lillian managed to convince her legs to move, kneeling behind Astrid and pulling her sister to her chest, thrilling in the way Astrid guided Lillian's hands to her breasts, pleading to be touched. Hiccup watched them both, fighting against his eyes closing as his rhythm began to stutter, following Astrid's hand as it slid down her stomach to press against her clit while Lillian pinched at straining nipples. She could pick out the way Astrid moaned as she came amidst a myriad of other sounds, felt Astrid quake in her arms, saw Hiccup's face draw tight as he felt Astrid's muscles clench at his cock.

It didn't take much more for Hiccup to buckle, hips jerking up against Astrid's as he grunted, letting out a final soft whine before he slumped back against the bed, breathless and beaming up at them both.

Astrid pulled Lillian down with her, smugly burrowing into the middle of their tangled cuddle as Hiccup reached to squeeze Lillian's hand gently, resting their joined fingers loosely over Astrid's hip. It was mostly quiet for a few minutes, save for the slowing pace of heavy breathing until bodies settled, calmed and happy. Astrid eventually turned, pressing a kiss to Lillian's shoulder before smiling softly up at her, checking in, checking they were still ok. Lillian answered with her own kiss, gentle against Astrid's hairline as she reached up to toy with the loose hairs hanging over Astrid's cheek.

"Hope you're not done yet Haddock"

Astrid spoke, grinning, knowing Lillian would soon add on.

"That was only round one."

There was a groan from behind Astrid; Lillian got the feeling it wasn't one of complaint.

-HTTYD-

 **So... _that_ happened.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hiccup and Lilstrid appreciate your love and support.**

-HTTYD-

As completely, truly _fucked_ as Hiccup felt, it took him a little time to fall asleep. His body ached in places he didn't know he _had_ \- if he thought Astrid had been a whirlwind alone, it was _nothing_ compared to the twins together.

They were asleep next to him, Astrid wrapped around Lillian's back and even in her sleep, she seemed to smile when Lillian fidgeted and made those little noises she did during slumber. Lillian had tried to tie her hair back up for bed, but a playfight ended with Astrid stealing her hair bobble to prevent it with a smug smile. Hiccup wasn't sure how they had the _energy_ for that, since he'd barely been able to walk to the bathroom before bed.

The twins hands were joined and resting on Hiccup's chest, as though reassuring him they weren't leaving him out while they slept so tightly embraced next to him. And while his mind was largely occupied with memories of feverish skin and seeking mouths and clutching fingers, Hiccup couldn't help but think a little of meeting their mother earlier.

She'd looked very... prim and proper, he supposed. A touch taller than her daughters, and he thought she might have been pretty in her day, but her face seemed to have set permanently in a faint scowl and it marred her features, dulled any past sparkle. Her hair was blonde, though it lacked the golden lustre Hiccup was enamoured with on Astrid and Lillian, and her blue eyes were just... blue, not the enchanting sapphires that often drew him in when looking at his two girlfriends.

And the _tension_ she carried with her was so thick, Hiccup could have cut it with a spoon. He felt it in Astrid's muscles even as she leant against him, saw it in how Lillian had paled, her usually rosy cheeks completely white. Her questions were slightly bizarre, and if Hiccup hadn't _known_ the history there, he would have been incredibly confused. He didn't feel like she necessarily approved of Hiccup as a potential suitor to her daughter, but he supposed to her he was a step up from the incestuous relationship Mrs Hofferson so strongly disapproved of. Hiccup wondered what the response might be when the twins told her the truth, as they'd already said they planned to.

The hands on his chest tightened, Lillian dragging herself closer to Hiccup and Astrid following immediately. Smiling to himself, Hiccup shifted a little so his weight didn't bear down so much on the scratches down his back - Astrid was an _animal,_ and Lillian not much tamer - and let the tiredness creep up and drag him to sleep.

His first awareness the next morning came in the form of his phone alarm and Astrid swearing at it, irritated blonde surfacing from where she'd slept amongst the messy locks of her sister to glare at Hiccup.

"Make the noise stop!"

Rubbing his face, Hiccup could feel new aches as he fumbled to snooze his phone, Lillian groaning and shifting between them.

"Too early!"

"I have work this morning."

Astrid grumbled, physically crawling over Lillian to lie on top of Hiccup.

"Nope. Stay."

Letting out a sleepy laugh, Hiccup both counted blessings Astrid hadn't kneed him somewhere delicate, and marvelled at the fact his body was apparently optimistic enough about energy levels that he actually had morning wood. Judging by her squirming, Astrid had noticed too.

"There was me worrying we'd broken you."

"You did. That's a malfunction."

Lillian was watching them with amusement and sleep in her eyes, her hand back on Hiccup's chest, idly running her fingers around one of many marks. At one point, Hiccup was certain the twins were trying to work out if their lovebites were distinctive, because he felt like he had hundreds of them by now. He hadn't really minded being pinned down by two attractive naked women, and he couldn't deny that he liked rough sex either.

He was just paying the price after the fact, it seemed.

"Astrid, we should probably take better care of Hiccup. I mean, look at the state of him."

Astrid pushed up on her arms, still a little softened with sleep and her hair half-obscuring her face, but she took in Hiccup's torso littered with bitemarks and scratches. There were faint marks on his wrist too, Hiccup noticed. Astrid had held him down at one point...

"I don't think he minds."

"I don't, but Eret's gonna rib me something awful at work. And my parents will be asking why I look like a lost a fight."

"Well" Astrid dropped a kiss to his collarbone "you can tell them about us now."

Hiccup nodded, very aware Lillian had wriggled closer to press her lips to his shoulder. Astrid had moved down an inch or so, leaving kisses down his chest, flicking her tongue across his nipple and smirking when Hiccup jumped in response, teasing at it with her teeth before she continued her trip down his body. Her skin was still warm with sleep, soft and inviting as his cock dragged against her stomach, definitely interested even as he felt the dull ache of 'overuse' somewhere in his groin twinging.

Lillian had been soft and sweet and just leaving little pecks and kisses on him all the while... until she saw Astrid had managed to extricate Hiccup from the covers, joining her sister down around his hips. Lips skimmed over his hip bones, Lillian straddling one of his legs while Astrid settled between his thighs, twin sets of messy blonde hair and heated blue eyes his view when Hiccup managed to lift his head and look down properly.

His head fell back again when Astrid's mouth latched on to his cock, groaning when Lillian's tongue joined it and _oh-gods_ they had found a new way to gang up on him. They were definitely trying to kill him and, as he looked down in time to watch Astrid catch Lillian's mouth, kissing around the head of his cock, Hiccup didn't _care._ There probably weren't many better places to die, really.

Astrid seemed to get sidetracked, loose hand around his cock while her other hand buried in Lillian's hair, kissing her a little more firmly until both twins were gasping and flushed and turning back to Hiccup. It got harder and harder to keep track of who had their mouth where, which tongue it was dragging up the base of his shaft or teasing across the delicate skin of his frenulum. He wondered how they didn't knock heads before a sharp suck at his tip chased that thought away, leaving him squirming and panting under the double-stimulation.

Hiccup grabbed at the bed, hands wanting to bury in the two blonde heads but not wanting to disturb them as one set of lips surrounded his cock, the other mouthing at his sac. He felt the start of his orgasm building, felt blonde hair tickling at his inner thigh, heard obscene wet, sloppy sounds when his eyes fell closed, hips bucking up to chase the wet warmth of eager mouths and stroking tongues, recognising the way Astrid hummed and Lillian let out soft little moans even when he couldn't _see_ them, mind threatening to go utterly blank as he stammered out a warning, not wanting to surprise them.

One - he thought Astrid, but couldn't tell as the agonising pleasure radiated - took his cock in their mouth, swallowing as Hiccup came with a cry equal parts pain and bliss, pulsing and aching and he wasn't entirely sure it was healthy how much he enjoyed the potent mix, the reminders of how he ended up quite so drained flashing through his mind, leaving Hiccup cross-eyed and shuddering through the waves until he fell, limp and twitching on the bed with smug blondes smirking up at him.

"Oh my gods... you guys will be the death of me."

"And good morning to you too."

Hiccup dimly registered his leg was damp, realising with an ill-advised-but-heroic twitch that it was where Lillian had been straddling him, turned on by going down on him. Or by going at it with Astrid. He wasn't sure. Either way, it was hot. Astrid crawled up first, kissed him and he could tell she'd _not_ been the one to swallow, saw playful mischief across Lillian's face when she clambered back up the bed too. He confessed himself surprised, but not really disappointed either way.

"I don't wanna go to work."

"Good, cus you're not allowed."

Chuckling lightly, Hiccup was incredibly tempted to stay there with two warm bodies against his own, the sweet sight of them smiling softly at each other, Lillian's fingers playing with Astrid's hair.

"I can't really lose my job though."

"You really want us to let you go?"

Astrid grinned, peered up at Hiccup through bed-hair alongside her twin, clearly knowing how badly Hiccup wished he could refuse to leave.

" _Want?_ No. But I must be resposible."

Lillian, very much aware Astrid was unlikely to be helpful in Hiccup's leaving, reached up and grabbed Astrid, rolling over to drag her off of Hiccup. He shivered from the creeping chill, but knew he didn't have much time before Astrid fought off Lillian and grabbed Hiccup.

Standing up, Hiccup felt twinges on his hips and back and legs, stretching pulling at yet more aches and pains along his neck and collarbones. Hiccup knew he'd be a shocking sight when he was in front of the bathroom mirror. Locating his overnight bag, Hiccup heard soft moans behind him, resolutely _not looking_ because he knew he'd never leave if he did. Sure enugh, his reflection was quite something. He twisted to check his back, wincing as he contemplated showering.

It stung on his ravaged back slightly, but after the state they'd been in the night before... it was needed.

"Don't you two have places to be?"

Lazily spooning against Astrid, Lillian nodded reluctantly. Hiccup noted the fresh scent of arousal on the air, the flush staining the top of Astrid's chest, knew the two had gone on without him and laughed to himself at the insatiability of the two.

"I have to get up in the next... twenty minutes if I want a hope of making my lecture on time. Getting ready takes much longer these days when Astrid always invades my showers."

"Not once have you ever even _tried_ to kick me out."

"Because it's pointless trying... and you're very convincing."

Astrid giggled, rolling in Lillian's hold and nuzzling her sister before they both looked over at Hiccup properly.

"Wow. We really did a number on him."

"Well he hasn't run away yet. Come on, we should get up."

Astrid refused until Lillian smirked, reaching down stealthily to squeeze her ass before leaping from the bed. Growling, Astrid jumped up, face one of a prowling hunter.

"I was comfy!"

"Hiccup needs to go soon. If you didn't get up you couldn't say goodbye."

Grumbles preceded, but Astrid eventually got off the bed, hunting around for something to put on. Hiccup pulled on his own clothes, he and Lillian making up morning porridge - he watched the way Astrid cheered up for the chocolate added in, Lillian tossing blueberry in her own and adding apple and cinnamon to his bowl. It was delicious.

"So when are we seeing you again?"

Hiccup frowned, poking a bit of stuck oats loose with his tongue and swallowing while he thought.

"I uh... I don't know. I figure you guys will want time to just be you two and I don't want to monopolise your time."

The twins exchanged a look, Lillian nodding toward Astrid.

"How do you want to approach that? Cus you're right, we need time together, but you woulda been right if you were only dating one of us and we weren't dating each other. So, you can do your cute little awkward thing and wait to be told you can come over. Or the slightly more grown up option where you ask if we can get together or whatever, and if one of us needs twin time then we tell you. Which do you prefer?"

Surprised as he was by her thought out response, Hiccup appreciated that Astrid had been so straight with him - he knew the twins would want, Hel, _need_ time by themselves sometimes. They were twins. Even as their partner, he wasn't... _that._

"Uh. The first is more me, but I can handle being told you guys need time to yourself."

They shared smiles, finishing breakfast as Lillian's phone alarm went off, letting her know she should be up too.

"I better get going. I'm already almost late."

If he was almost late then, Hiccup was _definitely_ running late by the time he'd been kissed goodbye by them both. Fingers slipped under his t-shirt, tickling his belly as warm lips closed over his own, Lillian's soft gasps almost too much for Hiccup to resist. By the time Astrid physically dragged him into another equally blistering kiss, Hiccup was fairly sure he was brain dead.

"Hey" Astrid slowed, thumb rubbing his jaw "I wanted to say thank you."

"Hmm?"

"For... I don't know how to explain it properly, but it really means so much to me that you accept _us."_

He shrugged, smiling as Lillian draped her arms around Astrid with a contented sigh.

"What she said."

"Well, I can't go and say that I got nothing out of it... but I'd have accepted you anyway. You're happy, and it's clear how much you guys take care of each other. What more am I meant to want _for_ you, for people I care about?"

Beaming, Astrid pressed another mind-melting kiss on his mouth, Lillian quickly following and Hiccup was _definitely_ brain-dead...

"Right. Work. I... yeah. I'll uh..." shaking his head, Hiccup tried to string a sentence together "let me know when you're both home tonight and I'll call you?"

"Sounds good."

"Catch you later."

Sighing, Hiccup reluctantly peeled himself away, reminding himself that he needed a break if they weren't going to break _him._

Not that he'd have minded if they did.

-HTTYD-

 **Honestly just some Hiclilstrid feels. Bless them!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Guest - Hiccup's little insecurity is perfectly normal for someone who has never been in a polyamorous relationship before, joining an already established (which, lets be fair, Lilstrid definitely is) couple as a third. He'll learn.**

 **JerryZ - are we reading the same story here? Hiclilstrid have only really just gotten together, and Lilstrid is the basis on which it's built. I'm not putting the cart before the horse here.**

-HTTYD-

Hiccup didn't need to look behind him to _know_ Eret was watching him, with that shit-eating grin of his as he lounged around pretending to work and coming up with new jokes to crack at the expense of Hiccup's ravaged skin.

Of course, now Hiccup had something of an ace up his sleeve.

"Seriously Hiccup, it looks like you were savaged by a pack of wild harpies!"

"Nope. Just two very attractive ladies."

He smiled to himself as he said it, mind full of sleepy snuggles and playful morning banter.

"Excuse me, back up! _Two?_ Hiccup, Hiccup, Hiccup. Is there a threesome I should know about?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes as Eret leant against him, arm around his shoulders squeezing and the fresh oil on his overalls smearing over Hiccup. He gave Eret a shove, but it was like pushing a brick wall.

"Not that you should know about, no, but there was one."

Well, there were several, Hiccup mused, if one counted the individual times all three were together. But he wasn't keeping score, he was just smiling at the fairly easy way in which they had fallen together, that he hadn't overstepped boundaries or felt like he was in the way between the twins. They had _certainly_ gone above and beyond to make Hiccup feel welcome there. And he rather liked that they left their mark, that he could carry the encounter with him even after having to leave their bed.

"Wow! Check you out! I am so proud you're all grown up. Now spill the details!"

"Absolutely not."

Eret pouted.

"C'mon! You can't just lead with that and then share nothing!"

"I can and I will!"

He imagined Eret's brain would explode if Hiccup _mentioned_ identical twins, and he didn't want to clean up burst Eret. Nor did he want the questions he _knew_ Eret would ask about how the twins interacted. That was secret, private. Besides which, Hiccup was only publicly dating Astrid, and only his parents and the three themselves would know different. But a sly brag with no further details to Eret before he came out about having a girlfriend?

Well, that was just for Hiccups ego.

He called his mom as soon as he got home, keen to finally be able to tell her _something_ of the truth. Hiccup did only mention one girlfriend, since Astrid and Lillian wanted to do the 'surprise' thing on _someone_ and apparently, Hiccup's parents were the victims of choice. Hiccup kinda wanted to see how it went too, so he was on board with their giggling plots.

"It's about time!"

"I know, I know! But I wanted to be sure first."

And he _was._ Hiccup still had the occasional question about things like how they would make it work long term, and what would constitute settling down with the two feral twins, but gods he adored them both and couldn't wait to introduce them to his parents. He dropped a call to his dad too, inviting Stoick over for the meet-and-greet and unsurprisingly, his dad couldn't wait either. Hiccup promised to get back to each of them when he had a firm date in mind, then made himself dinner and awaited hearing from his girlfriends.

Lillian texted him to say Astrid had just got back, and that they'd call him when they were out of the shower. Hiccup chuckled to himself; that would probably take a while, if Lillian's joking mock-complaints were anything to go by. He'd washed up what he used and moved to sit on the sofa by the time his phone rang, Astrid's breathless giggles as she ran from her sister his greeting.

"Astrid! That's my phone!"

"So what? It's _our_ boyfriend!"

A small tussle went on over the phone, the clattering sound painful when Hiccup realised one had dropped it.

"Still there?"

"Yep!"

"See, didn't break it!"

He heard the sofa creak as two bodies fell upon it, listened to them catch their breath a little before finally settling into an actual conversation.

"So how was work babe?"

"Well, Eret said I looked like I'd been savaged. Then he wouldn't leave me alone. Otherwise it was good. How were your days miladies?"

"Class was dull, but I had a good study session after, met Astrid at the gym for a free personal trainer session... you should have _seen_ the faces of people who hadn't realised we were twins."

"It looked like I was telling myself repeatedly to do one more squat! Which probably helped, cus it meant nobody noticed me swooning at how much weight Lils can lift."

There was giggling, including Hiccup's own, about that.

"And after all that fun, I came home, showered and worked until Astrid got back. Which is when I suddenly needed another shower, apparently."

"You did, you... missed a bit."

Hiccup could practically _hear_ Lillian rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, she said that after licking my face."

Laughing as they continued their banter back and forth, Hiccup eventually got around to asking when they were up for meeting his parents.

"You don't waste time do you?"

"Nope."

After some detailing about schedules and plans, they finally hate a date in mind and Hiccup was practically giddy, excited to be seeing them again the next day and _finally_ being able to introduce them to Valka and Stoick, to not have to dance around the topic of dating with them at last after so long in the strange limbo they'd since put right.

"Are they gonna hate us?"

"Absolutely not. They'll be able to see you guys make me disgustingly chirpy and my dad will congratulate me on landing two lovely ladies 'fer the price o' one', and my mother will smack him."

The twins laughed; he figured warning them about his dads sense of humour in advance was wise, though in comparison to theirs his parents were gods-given miracles regardless of how bad their little habits might be.

"Sounds fair. See you tomorrow babe!"

"Yeah, see you then."

"Bye Hiccup!"

Both chorused at him before they hung up, leaving Hiccup with the biggest, gooey-est grin he thought he might ever have done on his face. They were _amazing,_ both of them, and by some miracle they _both_ wanted him. Going to bed alone was a serious come-down to going to bed with the twins the night before, but Hiccup thought his poor body could probably do with something of a break and resisting two very tempting blondes was _not_ easy.

He woke to a picture message of the two eating breakfast, although Hiccup wasn't entirely sure the way Astrid was eating that banana was practical... but it made him smile nonetheless. His bruises had all come out fully, skin covered in small, proud blotches and he treasured each and every one of them, grinning to himself at the memory of how he got each one.

Eret wasn't on the same shift that day, so Hiccup got to work in peace without demands for information the whole time. He got a _lot_ more done, funnily enough.

After swinging by the supermarket on his way home, Hiccup got home, showered and threw on clean clothes in time to greet Astrid and Lillian at his door, both leaping on him in an overzealous double greeting that made him smile so wide his cheeks hurt.

"Hi!"

"Hello to you two, too."

Lillian beamed up at him. Astrid lifted up his shirt, investigating his healing marks.

"See, he's not _that_ bruised up."

Lillian leant back to survey the damage.

"Astrid, if I didn't know that was us I'd be _worried."_

Hiccup shrugged, smiling at them both.

"Doesn't hurt, and I liked it. Come through?"

They did so, following him to the kitchen and perching on stools, already sniffing hopefully at the air and he grinned. They were softer today, less groping and more gentle kisses, nuzzling, cuddles, with him and with each other. Hiccup really didn't mind either way. He was just glad they were there.

* * *

"Lils, will you relax?"

The sister in question glared, fiddling with her hair.

"It won't go right, ugh!"

Astrid batted Lillian's hands away, combing out the twists and starting over with a gentler braid.

"We have nothing to be nervous about here, you know that right?"

"I guess, but I just worry. Hiccup's so... you know, _Hiccup,_ and I don't want his parents to disapprove. I get the feeling that would mean more to him than our parents disapproval does to us."

"If Hiccup was worried, would he be bouncing off the walls about getting to finally introduce us? I think not. Now relax, because we don't have time for me to relax you."

Tying the bobble around the base of her braid, Astrid pulled Lillian backwards into a hug, squeezing tight until her twin finally stopped being so damned tense. Turning her around, Astrid kissed her gently, mindful they couldn't get carried away there and then.

"Love you Lils."

"Love you too. Come on, before I change my mind and move to Yemen."

"Yemen?"

"Shush."

The trip to Hiccup's wasn't terribly long, though Lillian was anxious by the end of it. Hiccup was already cooking when they got there, and as usual his house smelled _incredible._ He rinsed his hands, dried them before hugging both twins to him, grinning.

"Thanks for actually showing up."

"Why wouldn't we?"

"I dunno, I guess I just want today to go right."

They chatted lightly, Astrid nudged away from the cooking with a scowl by both Hiccup and Lillian, until there was a knock at the door.

"Oh! That's my cue!"

Lillian stole a kiss from her mouth before disappearing - they couldn't do _that_ in front of Hiccup's parents, obviously - and leaving Astrid to wait while Hiccup went to answer the door. Astrid heard one voice, soft and lilting Australian accent - his mother - followed by screeching tires and a loud, booming Scottish tone. Probably his dad. There was chatter, footsteps, then Hiccup was all but skipping into the kitchen to present Astrid to them.

"Mom, dad, this is Astrid. Astrid, this is my mom Valka and my dad Stoick."

Holy _Thor_ he was huge. Well, they both were. Hiccup's mom was taller than Hiccup by a good inch or two, and his dad was _really big._ With a very large beard. Astrid had seen pictures, but they hardly did justice.

"Hi."

"We've not heard nearly enough about you Astrid" Valka tossed a light, venomless glare at her son, soft smile playing across her thin mouth "but it's lovely to meet you."

"You too. I've heard _plenty_ about you both."

"All bad, I s'pose?"

"Yep, terrible."

Stoick eyed her for a second, then promptly burst out laughing. His laugh could rattle cutlery.

"I like her already."

"Heh... funny you should say that."

Hiccup nodded to Astrid, who turned and, rather than shout, placed two fingers in her mouth and whistled sharply. It was effective, more footsteps coming up the hall much to his parents confusion, followed by Lillian appearing in the door and crossing over to hug Hiccup's non-Astrid-claimed side. Valka nodded, then did something of a double take and almost screamed.

"Oh!"

"Uh... am I seein' things?"

They both looked back and forth rapidly, like spectators at a tennis game and Stoick's beard wobbled in sync with it.

"Nope. Mom, dad. This is Lillian. Lillian, meet my mom Valka and my dad Stoick."

"Lovely to meet you both. I'm a huge fan of your books Valka."

There was more open-mouthed gaping, as though they couldn't believe their eyes.

"My... books?"

"Yes mom. Your books. That you write. Are you ok?"

"There's two of them!"

"Stoick!"

"There is!"

Astrid couldn't help it; she started laughing. Hiccup and Lillian soon joined in.

"Yes, there is indeed two. They're identical twins, and it's a _really_ funny story..."

There was _a lot_ that couldn't be said, obviously, but by the time Hiccup relegated the incidents where nobody knew he was meeting them both - including him! - until Hiccup accidentally grabbed Lillian, mistaking her for Astrid, his parents were in fits of laughter.

"So, you both are seeing Hiccup?"

"Yeah. We thought it would be weird, but actually it works really well."

The twins shared a nod, then both smiled up at Hiccup.

"How's tha' then?"

"Well, dating when you're an identical twin is tough. You get a lot of guys who want a weird threesome, and the ones that don't are always jealous of how close you are with your twin."

Astrid tried not to make it too clear just _how close_ she and Lillian were. Because that might upset the fragile but budding acceptance she hoped she could see in the parents of their boyfriend.

"But Hiccup is neither of those guys."

"And we don't have to worry about him being jealous of me and Lils."

"Two fer one!"

 _"Stoick!"_

True to Hiccup's prediction, his dad made that sort of joke and his ex-wife swatted at his arm to chide him.

"Well it's true! I mean, how do ye... what happens when..."

"You can stop **right** there dad!"

Hiccup was shaking his head, though Astrid would have _loved_ to see that explanation that didn't involve 'threesome' and 'twincest', she appreciated that he made it clear early on that their privacy wasn't up for debate.

"Quite right. So long as they are happy, it's not our business how Stoick."

"Ye wouldn't know we're divorced, she still bosses me about."

"You need it!"

Finally turning to tend to the cooking, Astrid had a sense of dejavu as Hiccup shooed his mother away from the food. Lillian joined in, crossed arms and warning glare and _gods_ Astrid wanted to kiss that expression off of her face.

"Wait, why isn't your mom allowed to help?"

"Because I like my kitchen as it is!"

"I am not that bad!"

Hiccup gave his mother such an incredulous look even _she_ roared with laughter, reaching out to pat his shoulder.

"Fine, fine! I will not help!"

"Thank you. Now nobody will need a trip to A&E."

Tutting, Valka turned toward the twins, frowning.

"I'm sorry, I can't..."

"Tell us apart? Happens. Hiccup is better at it than our own mother. Which one are you after?"

After a minutes thought - trying to remember their names, Astrid reckoned - Valka nodded.

"Lillian. You said you liked my books?"

"I do! Hiccup left one behind in the cafe once, and I read it. I've been working through the lot."

Within thirty seconds, they were geeking out. Astrid could see a great deal of Valka in Hiccup, and watching Lillian stop panicking and start smiling and getting on with Hiccup's parents was heart-warming.

"How in the name of Thor do you tell em apart lad?"

"They're surprisingly different once you get past them being identical."

"He can tell us apart on the _phone._ He has superpowerss."

"He also has a lot of food, can you give me a hand dad?"

Soon enough, the five sat down to eat. Hiccup's dad sitting next to his mom took up the same room along one side of a table as all three of the youngers on the other side.

"So, what do your parents think of you two seeing the same man?"

"Uh. We don't really... get on with them."

"Oh, I see. My apologies."

And that was _it._ They didn't bring it up again. Astrid marvelled inwardly for a minute, but Hiccup's tasty cooking regained her attention. The twins were asked fairly simple questions - college and employment, hobbies and so on. Like any parent meeting a childs new partner. Except Hiccup had two.

"Wait. Which of you was it responsible for those marks?"

"When?"

"Well..." Valka looked at her son "now, as well, but I meant before."

Astrid grinned.

"Probably me. Lils doesn't bite as much... at least, Hiccup doesn't seem to get new bruises when I let him out of bed."

Stoick choked on his drink. Astrid hid her face in her food, scolding herself for a minute that she'd almost commented on how much her sister _bit_ a lover, as though she had actual knowledge. She did, but that wasn't the point.

"Well... I have t'say, yer a braver man than me son. I don't think I coulda handled two o' yer mother."

"You couldn't _handle_ one of me Stoick. Certainly not two. But you were never my sisters type, so it didn't matter."

The parents left before the twins, and once they were alone Lillian dragged Astrid to the sofa, kissing her sweetly before yanking Hiccup down to join them.

"So did they like us?"

"Nope."

Astrid felt her mouth fall open. That wasn't good, Hiccup clearly loved his-

"They _adored_ you."

He definitely deserved the punch in the arm Astrid gave him.

-HTTYD-

 **Hiclilstrid! Feels!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Overfic23 - No, incest is LITERALLY ILLEGAL in my country. Anyone closer than cousins isn't allowed to fuck, by law.**

-HTTYD-

Astrid crossed her arms, glaring.

"I am _not_ that bad!"

"Astrid, your self-control is not spectacular at the best of times. This week in particular? You might as well wear a t-shirt saying 'I'm Horny!' for how obvious it is you want to jump me or Hiccup all the time."

Damnit. She'd been playing on seeing if Lillian was up for it, but now Astrid would be holding off on principle. It wasn't _her_ fault mother nature liked to gift her with a surge in sex drive hormones the week before her period. And Lillian using the knowledge to tease her was just mean, really.

"I'm fine. I'm not even a little bit horny right now."

It was an enormous lie. Why was Lillian so hot?

"Ah-ha. I believe you. So you think we'll actually make it through a movie date with Hiccup today without you interrupting less than halfway through to mount him?"

"Y-yes!"

Now she was thinking about Hiccup sex too. Damnit. Why was she dating two really hot people? It was bad for her hormones, surely.

"Mhmm. I totally believe you."

Lillian had her phone in her hand. Was she texting Hiccup to say Astrid was hormonal and not to give in to her? Probably. She was clearly feeling that kind of evil today. Dragging her mind out of the gutter - for all of three seconds - Astrid shoved movie snacks into her bag and flicked her eyes over to the letter she'd opened earlier. Lillian had one too, and presumably Hiccup. Well, _hopefully_ Hiccup. Since they were dating exclusively as a three, they'd gone for sexual health checks and Lillian for contraception, and both twins tests had come back clear. Hopefully, so had Hiccups.

They'd been navigating this new thing between them for a couple of months now, and Lils had gotten an IUD put in, since she'd taken the pill when she was younger and it hadn't agreed with her. Thus far, she hadn't had problems with it. Provided Hiccup had a clean bill, they had no reason to keep using condoms all the time. Astrid bit her lip at the thought, fighting back a full-body shudder.

 _Damn hormones._

"Ready to go?"

"Mhmm."

Astrid shouldered her bag, half-wondering why she bothered to take movie snacks. Hiccup always made enough food for five, even when they said not to cook or bake for them. And honestly, Astrid was hungry for something other than cake and cookies.

Hiccup greeted the twins at his door with a broad smile, inviting them in and happily taking kisses from each. Astrid did her best not to leap at him. Lillian was watching, probably knew Astrid _wanted_ to. All the more reason for Astrid to resist, really.

"Hey, have you had your letter back?"

"Yep. Clear of any and all communicable diseases. Well, the sexy ones. I don't think they test for like, measles or chickenpox."

They followed Hiccup through to the kitchen, letting the compulsive host in him offer drinks and - as Astrid predicted - snacks. Popcorn, mini brownies, cookies _and_ mixed nuts.

"You don't have to get through everything. I'm going to my dads tomorrow, anything not eaten today will _definitely_ be eaten there."

"That's a relief."

Hiccup chuckled.

"I can't help it. I express affection with food and I have a lot of affection for both of you."

"I can see that!"

"Is it too much?"

Hiccup looked a little worried, and Lillian tutted at Astrid.

"Not at all. It's just the same complaints we get for feeding her when she asks. Come on, movie time!"

There was a spark in her sisters eyes that Astrid did _not_ trust at all. And her suspicions were proved correct when Hiccup went to get the DVD from his shelf - Lord Of The Rings. _Extended Edition._

She was going to _kill_ Lillian.

Astrid cursed her competitive streak as they settled in for the movie, determined not to break but also really, _really_ wet already. Who's idea were clothes? They got in the way. Astrid would enjoy the film much more sat in Hiccup's lap. Naked.

Knowing Hiccup's tendency to run his fingers over her arms and shoulders and neck - and how that would turn her on more in her current state - Astrid opted to lean against the arm of the sofa and just sling her calves over his lap. That was safe, right?

Wrong.

Aside from the fact Lillian snuggled right up to him and Astrid wanted to be in the warmth - or the _middle,_ she wasn't fussy - Hiccup placed a hand on her leg, and Astrid found that even the brush of fingers on the inside of her knee made her skin tingle. It was going to be a _very long_ movie. Still, she tamped down on the urge to squirm or climb Hiccup like a tree, focusing on the hobbits. At least the hobbits weren't sexy.

She might have made an exception for Aragorn. Or Galadriel, really. Her voice was sort of familiar, but Astrid couldn't place it.

Astrid was starting to get extra antsy when there was about half an hour left, and Lillian proved once again that she was pure, unadulterated _evil_ when _she_ did what she'd accused Astrid of doing before, fingers sliding up around his jaw as she drew Hiccup into a kiss. Astrid bit back a whimper as she watched them, feeling the ache of want intensify when Hiccup began to lean in more, his hand in Lillian's hair and both sharing soft little gasps in between kisses.

Lillian did not fake much more subtlety in her 'torment Astrid by tormenting Hiccup' mission, ducking her head to bite playfully at Hiccup's neck while her hand moved down, cupping and squeezing his groin. Hiccup's fingers tightened on Astrid's leg and even _that_ turned her on more, dizzy with her heightened arousal and the obscene display before her. They kept it up, paying even less attention to the film than Astrid, who had her eyes on the screen while _every_ other sense was riveted on the two next to her. Would it be impolite to start throwing popcorn at them before she spontaneously combusted?

They weren't done driving her crazy, and Astrid knew it was _completely_ intentional when Lillian freed Hiccup's cock from his jeans, lowering her head and meeting Astrid's eyes as her mouth closed around him. Hiccup whined, clutching tighter at Astrid's leg. She barely noticed, fixed on wide blue eyes and soft pink lips, Lillian's eager tongue making Astrid wish she was somewhere in the middle of it all, not particularly caring _where_ so long as she got off.

When Astrid dragged her eyes to the screen again, she saw a beautiful sight.

 _The credits._

Hiccup nearly _sobbed_ when Astrid moved too, her mouth joining Lillian's in his lap. After they worked him to a point of trembling, babbling incoherence, Lillian moved back and tipped her head in his direction.

"He's all yours."

Ok, maybe she didn't need to kill her sister after all. Astrid didn't need telling twice, all but ripping her shorts and underwear down and off to climb into Hiccup's lap, ecstatic they didn't have to fuss with condoms any longer as she sank down his cock, mewling in satisfaction.

"Oh-oh gods!"

Hiccup clutched her with shaking hands, head falling against her chest as he felt her soft heat around him bare for the first time. If she'd been thinking more clearly, Astrid might have suggested Lillian take that particular first - assuming Hiccup was alright with that - but it was clearly Lils' intention to drive Astrid to the brink of insanity before backing off when the film was over. And neither Astrid nor her surging hormones were complaining just then.

He was pretty agreeable about letting Astrid take the reins, bracing her hands on his shoulders and riding him _hard._ After all that build up and waiting and _watching,_ Astrid could not wait for a slow and easy build up, needing him hitting her deep and fast. Hiccup got the message and braced his hands against her back, hips pushing up into her as Astrid dropped down on him, the depth almost aching but Astrid only craved _more._

Lillian knelt up next to them, dragging Astrid into a heated kiss that almost broke her there and then, tongue in her mouth tasting like Hiccup and teeth nipping at her lower lip, her jaw, her neck in quick succession. She wouldn't last much longer anyway, but Lillian was making it harder not to melt into a puddle of satisfied goo there and then. When her sisters hand slid under her shirt, the other in her hair tugging as fingers groped her chest and pinched her nipple, Astrid was _gone._ Shuddering, swearing, nails digging into Hiccup where she still held tight as she came violently, shamelessly between her two lovers.

Eventually she slumped, sighing happily against Hiccup's chest with Lillian stroking her hair. With monumental effort but great joy, Astrid leant over and kissed her sister with a smile.

"You alright?"

"I am _goooood._ And once we move to somewhere more suitable than the sofa, which is a little small for three like this? I plan on feeling _great._ "

* * *

Hiccup sighed, head dropping down heavily on to the table. Lillian patted the back of his hair gently.

"This is hard."

"I know, but once it's done, it's done."

Lillian was helping him go through choices for where he wanted to apply to go and study his course, and Hiccup already wanted to burn everything in front of him and go live in the wild somewhere. With the twins, obviously.

They got through it with a few options chosen, the booklets from those prospective places put in one pile, the others in another. Lillian yawned into her hand, a sweet, soft sound that Hiccup couldn't help finding cute.

"Tired?"

"A little. I was up late cramming for this mornings exam. Astrid helped, and then she had a whole day at work so no wonder she's..."

Lillian gestured to the sofa, where Astrid was deeply engrossed in a well-earned nap. Hiccup waved over at her.

"Go join her. I can make dinner myself."

"You sure?"

"Yep. Go on. I doubt she'll mind a nap buddy."

Offering him a tired smile, Lillian kissed him before crossing to the sofa and nudging Astrid, who cracked an eye open before holding her arms out for Lillian to get in to. They settled in seconds, both probably asleep within two minutes. Hiccup grinned at them both - they were _adorable_ \- before finishing tidying up the table and rising to go get dinner ready. The knock at his door surprised him - he wasn't expecting anyone - and his mother there was equally a surprise.

"Hey mom. Did we have plans?"

"No no, but I remembered you saying you were off work today and I found this while I was _finally_ clearing out the loft."

Hiccup invited his mother in, shushing her as they approached the living room. He watched her face as she took in the sight, the twins snuggled together. He was used to them being... close, from the start, but after they become _them_ again Hiccup was always a little on edge, wondering if his parents would look too closely.

"I suppose you can still tell them apart like that?"

"Yeah. Lillian fidgets and Astrid sleeps like the dead. Come through."

He led her to the kitchen, where they could talk a little more loudly without risking waking Astrid or Lillian.

"Did you bore them?"

"Totally. No, uh, Lillian was up late studying and Astrid was helping, then Astrid had work and Lillian had exams. They're tired, I figured a nap while I cook wouldn't hurt. What did you find?"

Valka opened up the box in her hands, bringing out a very dusty but otherwise good condition toy set, one Hiccup recognised from his boyhood and had been sad to lose in the moves between his parents divorce and then his growing up and striking out on his own.

"Oh my gods, I missed these!"

They were little dragons, all custom made as merchandise for his mothers first books. He went through them one by one, memorising the shapes of wings and fins and bumpy little heads with a smile.

"Are you staying for dinner? You're welcome to."

"Thank you, but no. I only came out to take a break from writing, but I'm almost done and I already feel less blocked up."

"Suit yourself, more chicken for Astrid. Want some cookies to take with you?"

"Well, I won't say no to that."

Chuckling, Hiccup put a handful of them into a small container, handing it over to his mother.

"You sure you won't stay?"

"Honestly, these will do me. Books don't write themselves, sadly."

Following Valka back to the hallway, he saw sea-green eyes drift over to the sleeping twins again, watched as a small furrow of thought creased between his mothers eyebrows.

"Hiccup?"

His stomach did a little belly-flop. Was she about to ask what he really hoped she _wasn't_ about to ask?

"Yeah?"

"Are... do they..." would his mother mind if he just flung her out of the door with a yelled 'thanks for visiting'? Probably "actually, never mind."

"Never mind?"

"Yes. Honestly, I'd rather not know."

There was a thrumming, heavy silence for a few heartbeats, before Valka finally smiled again and turned to the door. Hiccup _knew._ He knew _she_ knew. That any question his mother had over sleeping arrangements between the trio had been answered, then those answers thrown away, never to be dwelled upon again.

And he loved her all the more for just... not pushing.

"Catch you later mom."

"Indeed. Perhaps I'll have Lillian go over the new book before my editor gets it."

"I'm sure she'd love to, she's almost done with the finished ones."

Smiling, Valka waved.

"Lovely. Tell them I said hello, and we should definitely 'hang out', as you kids say, again soon."

"Definitely. Bye mom."

"Bye son."

Hiccup closed the door after seeing his mother into her car, leaning back against the closed wood with a sigh. That was... kinda close?

Then Hiccup chuckled to himself, as he remembered what this door had seen _that_ night.

-HTTYD-

 **Well, that could have been very awkward now couldn't it?**


	24. Chapter 24

**Ahhhh time for some of these cute noodles.  
**

-HTTYD-

"You didn't..."

"I did! I got the idea from Lils."

"How is _this_ my idea?"

"You said I might as well wear a t-shirt!"

Astrid, hands on hips and smug smile on her face, sported a baby blue t-shirt with the words _I'm Horny!_ in large, gold letters along the front. Lillian suspected it was actually a custom job - those were Astrid's favourite colours, and she could absolutely see her sister trawling the internet to find somewhere to make such a garment. It was impressive Astrid had gotten it on without Lillian noticing, really, since they had gotten dressed in the same room at the same time earlier, before they headed over to their boyfriends house. She'd managed to hide it under a hoody she'd stolen from Hiccup before Lillian noticed.

"You're ridiculous and I love you."

"Love you too Lils. Feel free to borrow this if you need to be subtle but let Hiccup know you want some."

Lillian rolled her eyes, kissed her ridiculous sister and joined her in hugging Hiccup, who offered both a bright smile as they embraced. So far, they'd managed to work their little three-person relationship for close to _six months,_ and genuinely their biggest issue had been the return of Mrs Hofferson turning up at the house with no warning. Lillian was sure she suspected something, but it was equally possible their mother was just out to disregard their privacy and invade their lives. It had only happened a few times, really, but it was enough to be jarring and if Astrid wasn't 'dating' Hiccup all to herself, they might have had other issues.

"So... would you two be up for meeting my family?"

"Haven't we met your parents? Were they imposters?"

"No, not imposters, but it's my cousins birthday soon and since he and a couple of others all have birthdays in the same month, there's a family party and mom has been prodding me to invite you."

"Do you not want to invite us?"

Hiccup frowned, head twitching as though he wasn't sure whether to nod or shake his head.

"I do, I just don't want to put pressure on you. There _will_ be questions about you guys and me dating Astrid, and some of my cousins are much cruder than my father."

"Am I allowed to hit them if they're super gross?"

"I don't think anybody will stop you?"

Astrid grinned.

"I'm in if Lils is."

"It's good with me. I'm not your girlfriend there though, right?"

"Well, _that_ is your choice. I don't imagine there are many common circles that contain the Haddock lot and your parents, but when it comes to public dating you guys are totally in charge of who knows what. We know. My parents know. That's all I need."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Lying to my parents was _hard_ , and it would be weird if you guys didn't know I was your boyfriend. But now? Now, I'm good. We're good. Who else knows is up to you two, completely."

Lillian eyed him, curious.

"Aren't you still lying to your parents? They don't know about _us,_ right?"

Hiccup winced, and Lillian panicked.

"Uh... well, I think my mom suspects something, but in her own words, she would rather not know."

 _"What?"_

Astrid looked equally unsettled, both stepping back to watch Hiccup.

"Hear me out, please?"

The twins shared a look, finally nodding.

"Talk."

"Fast."

"Ok. You remember when we were going through options for me to study, and you went to take a nap with Astrid?"

Lillian nodded.

"Yeah."

"Well, remember I said my mom visited while you were asleep? She saw you two napping together and I guess maybe she saw more than just sisters there. I swear, the only thing she said was that she'd rather not know, and she has not brought it up since. And since you guys weren't worried she knew anything, I'm guessing she hasn't acted any differently toward you either?"

Thinking, Lillian had to agree.

"You're right. But you should have told us."

"I should have, I agree, but Lillian was stressed that day cus of studying and stuff, and I didn't want to add to it and after that it just sorta slipped my mind. If I thought for a minute she'd... but she won't. Honestly, I trust her and I think she genuinely doesn't care so long as I'm happy. Which I am."

"And your dad?"

"My dad... I don't think it would actually occur to him that you guys would be together, let alone that I would then join in. But if he found out? I'd expect him to be shocked. I'd expect him to ask not-necessarily-polite questions, and him to be a little tactless. But again, he wants me to be happy and I think by now, he's probably realised that we're making things work and that I just happen to have two people I'm in love with instead of one."

Lillian did not need to look to know Astrid would have the same expression on her face - one of shock and surprise. Even after six months, the only verbal 'I love you' sentiments exchanged were between the twins. Between them and Hiccup? Not so far.

Well, until just now. Hiccup's eyes widened as he realised what he'd said, obviously surprised by his own admission and nervous of their reactions.

She felt fingers slide through her own, seeking a silent reassurance of agreement. Lillian squeezed back, let Astrid answer.

"Yeah, it is pretty cool when that happens. Wouldn't you agree Lils?"

"Definitely. Of course, this is the only time it's ever happened to me."

"Me too."

Hiccup looked between the two of them, hope clear on his face.

"What are you saying?"

"We're saying we love you too, mutton-head."

"Oh!" he visibly brightened "that's good then."

He was too cute. Gods, she really did love the dork. Lillian had always assumed she'd never experience someone being able to _get_ her, not like Astrid could and never again after they seperated. But now? Now she had Astrid back, and they had found this kind, sweet and gorgeous idiot who accepted them, was willing to give the confusing mess of a threesome a shot. And it _worked._

Sure, six months was not a lifetime, but they had had no problems so far. Hiccup wasn't insecure about the twins being closer to each other than to him, and that was really the biggest obstacle they had expected. But he understood in a way Lillian had never expected anyone to, and it was _amazing._

"So... what do you two wanna do today?"

They went for a walk, taking in the late summer air and amusing themselves with the confused looks of strangers who saw the identical twins - well, Astrid's t-shirt probably drew some attention too. Lillian couldn't help laughing at her sister being so... _Astrid._

Dinner was pizza delivery - Hiccup made great home-made pizzas for them too, and since Astrid was a personal trainer takeout wasn't a common meal choice after they got settled at home, but sometimes a heavy, fattening pile of delicious guilt - Astrid's words, not hers - was exactly what was needed. Lillian did some college work, while Astrid tried to convince Hiccup he should do more push-ups, which he was not agreeable about.

"I will always be scrawny, accept facts!"

"Oh, no, it's not that. I was just hoping you would take your shirt off and I could watch."

Lillian rolled her eyes, but felt a fond smile steal over her face when she saw Astrid and Hiccup playfighting. A year ago, she would _never_ have envisioned being in such a relationship - or any, really. But she had Astrid, and they had Hiccup, and it was good and easy and Lillian was happier than she could ever really remember being before. Giggling as she pinned Hiccup until he proclaimed surrender, Astrid flopped backwards and sighed deeply.

"I suppooooose I better go to bed soon, since I have work tomorrow."

"Are you going alone?"

"Absolutely not, if you won't walk I will carry you. Lils, are you done being a nerd yet?"

"Ten minutes? I'm almost done."

It was a little distracting when Astrid opted to spend those ten minutes on top of Hiccup, kissing and groping and making incredibly tempting sounds. Lillian supposed it was fair play for all the times she'd bet Astrid couldn't resist the urge to jump Hiccup, then gone all out teasing her sister until Astrid attacked them both.

That didn't mean it was easy to work when she could tell by the sounds that Astrid had bitten Hiccup, his sharp gasps and groans enough to make Lillian decide to finish her essay the next day. She had the time, it was just time she'd intended to have free... Alas, plans were subject to change when Astrid so clearly wanted a two-person lullaby.

"Come on then, what're you waiting around for?"

"That wasn't ten minutes."

"It'll wait. Want help carrying Hiccup off to have our wicked way with him?"

"Honestly, I think he'll run just fine."

Hiccup mock-protested, but once Astrid let him up he was certainly keen to get to the bedroom. Lillian didn't really blame him. Spent and satisfied, she smiled as Astrid spooned around her back, Hiccup in front of her with an equally blissed out expression, reaching out to toy with the twins joined hands.

"I love you. Both of you."

"We love you too. Sleep time."

Astrid mumbled from behind her, but she caught how her sentiment warmed Hiccup all the same. Sometimes they slept in different configurations, but the way they were at that moment was the most common of them - Lillian fidgeted in her sleep, so if she slept _on_ someone, like when she fell asleep against Hiccup's chest, she accidentally disturbed their sleep sometimes. Astrid could sleep through it when wrapped around her back, and Hiccup said he liked opening his eyes to see the two of them next to him, so it was a win all round really. Especially for Lillian, smugly snuggled up in the middle of them both.

It was an excellent way to fall asleep.

 _"Nooooooooooooo."_

Astrid was very dramatic about having to get up early the next morning, and even more put out about having to leave when Lillian and Hiccup had nowhere to be themselves.

"You want me to come make you breakfast?"

Hiccup offered, though Lillian was loathe to let him leave the bed when he was so warm and comfortable she wouldn't begrudge Astrid breakfast.

"Yes, but my stomachs a little grumpy this morning so I think I'll grab a protein bar and then eat at the gym when I've had time to wake up. Love you" she leant down and pecked a kiss on Lillian's mouth, then moved to Hiccup "and you."

Lillian wondered how long until hearing it so casually exchanged between the three of them got old. Probably a long time. It made her smile like an idiot just thinking about it. Astrid left them still in bed, the sounds of her moving around downstairs not enough to stop Hiccup beginning to drift back off to sleep. She let him, largely because it meant he wouldn't move from holding her, so cosy an embrace it was swaddled amongst the sheets. At least, until she needed to pee.

"Hiccup."

Nothing. Lillian resisted the urge to elbow him.

" _Hiccup!"_

"M'sleep."

"If you don't let me go I will be forced to tickle you."

Grumbling, Hiccup released her before rolling over to go back to sleep. Dashing to the bathroom, Lillian relieved herself, washed her face and cleaned her teeth since she was up before heading back to a still-sleepy boyfriend. He turned when she slid back under the covers, dragging her back into a cuddle and pecking a kiss on her shoulder that made her smile.

"You would think after so many months, you'd be used to getting worn out by us now."

"I would be amazed if I _ever_ got used to the two of you. You guys are trying to kill me, I know it."

Giggling, Lillian rolled over, dropped a kiss on Hiccup's nose and saw his mouth twitch into a smile.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

Hiccup shrugged, nuzzling into her neck and holding her tighter.

"Warm."

"Come on, we can't stay in bed _all_ day."

"Why not? Bed is comfy."

"There is no food in bed. And I have an essay to finish after a certain pair distracted me last night."

"Astrid started it, but fine, I'm up."

Acting as though it was the worst thing in the world, Hiccup rose from the nest of covers they'd been cocooned in before. Somewhat reluctant herself after the warmth had infused her skin again, Lillian got up and tugged on her jumper over her pyjamas, heading downstairs while Hiccup was in the bathroom waking up.

"Breakfast?"

"Sure. Unless you want me to do it?"

"Nah, I got it. Porridge? Fruit and yoghurt? Pancakes?"

"Ooooh, pancakes. We should make something later for Astrid."

Hiccup nodded, rubbing his face with a yawn.

"I keep protein powder here now, don't you make cookies with that?"

Lillian smiled; she'd made those for Astrid the day they had really... reconnected.

"Yeah, the recipe is in my phone, here" she handed it over to Hiccup "check you have everything. Or we'll have to pick stuff up."

Hiccup took it, scrolling through and nodding to himself.

"Yeah, I got all that. Breakfast, work, then bake later?"

"Works for me."

Hiccup puttered about until there was a nice stack of fluffy pancakes with syrup melting on top in front of him, another stack that had blueberries mixed into the batter in front of her. His expressing affection through food often showed itself in the way Hiccup memorised their favourites, presenting them proudly with a smile and that little edge of worry that they wouldn't like it, that melted away when he got the joyful response from the twins who _really_ liked his cooking.

He left her to it while she worked, flicking through what Lillian recognised as one of his mothers books - an old one, but he re-read them constantly. Lillian had read the latest one before it even went to be edited - a special sneak peek, Valka called it - and the fact she was so _included,_ that Hiccup's parents just sort of took on their weird and confusing relationship with nothing but smiles and welcomes... it was a strange experience to say the least, after years with her and Astrid's own judgemental, distant parents. Astrid got it worse, since Lillian was the 'good' twin of the two and so their parents pushed expectations on to Lillian, and disappointment on to Astrid.

"And... done!"

"Yeah? Alright then. What would you like to do with all your free time?"

"I suggest baking first, that way if we get sidetracked by something Astrid still gets cookies."

"A wise decision I support."

Cooking with Hiccup was always pleasant, just a soft, domestic thing they both enjoyed, watching him get flour on his face or feeling him flick a chocolate chip at her while feigning innocence the entire time.

Then - much like cooking with Astrid - messy baking ended up in sweet-tasting kisses and sticky hands on skin, Hiccups poor sofa undoubtedly getting covered in smears of cocoa and flour as the two tumbled down on it. Lillian could barely believe she'd once been nervous with him, now eagerness and lust her driving force as Hiccup tugged down her pyjama bottoms, thumb pressing down on damp cotton briefs until she moaned against his mouth.

"Don't get too distracted, you'll burn the cookies."

Moving to kiss her neck, Hiccup grinned against her skin.

"Didn't turn the oven on."

"Hopeful were we?"

Chuckling, Hiccup nipped her before relieving her of her underwear.

"After all these months, I _know_ that look you get. Astrid might wear a t-shirt, but you have your own tells."

At some point, Lillian might've remembered to ask what they were. But then Hiccup's shorts were down and Lillian's mind was focused elsewhere, specifically where Hiccup was pressing into her with those lovely low sounds against her ear. He still had his flour-dusted t-shirt on, still smelled like the cocoa powder he'd spilled. And Lillian still found him ridiculously irresistible, twisting her body until she was wrapped as tight around him as could be in every way possible. Hiccup kissed her, taste of cookie dough on his lips as he began to move, the same playful energy that brought them stumbling and giggle-kissing to the sofa in the first place evident in his thrusts.

Now the words had been exchanged, Hiccup offered the sentiment "I love you" quite freely, and Lillian was dizzy with it all in almost no time at all. His forehead rested against hers, his eyes closed when she managed to open hers before they too fell shut against those heady waves of _feeling,_ his voice murmuring those words over and over. She felt herself grow wetter for him, for his words and the feel of his cock inside her, and knew there was more than just baking mess on the sofa now... not that it was the first time by any means that furniture had been repurposed.

Burying her hands in his thick hair, Lillian felt him cup her hips, lifting her slightly to shift his angle until she was whimpering and shaking with every thrust, oh-so-close already as he held her gaze, those deep green eyes enough to drive her to madness. One hand bunched up the fabric of his t-shirt, the other clutching tighter at his hair, his teeth on her neck all it took for Lillian to tip over the edge, spasming harder when he released his bite with a throb of pain to murmur "I love you" against her ear again. He left her trembling, holding him for an anchor to reality as he shuddered through his own climax.

"Mmm. Good. Now I am never moving again."

"Well" Hiccup pecked a kiss on her lips, grinning "that will make it harder for you to try one of those cookies later."

"I'm sure Astrid will manage them without me."

Eventually she _did_ move, if only to clean the sofa and herself up while Hiccup turned the oven on so the cookies could actually bake. He was a sneaky one. And she _loved him._

-HTTYD-

 **Yeah I know, long wait but hopefully some Hiclilstrid/Hicclian fluff makes up for it?**


	25. Chapter 25

**Guest - yeah, I mentioned her, but I also mentioned they were at Hiccup's house and Mrs Hofferson doesn't just turn up at _his_ place, they're safe there!**

-HTTYD-

He wasn't ashamed or embarrassed of his girlfriends, but Hiccup would be lying if he wasn't a bit nervous; the Jorgensons weren't exactly the easiest family members to introduce anyone too, even less so when they were given a reason to start drinking at midday. Astrid and Lillian hopped out of his car, both looking gorgeous as sunshine lit up their smiles.

"You sure you're ready for this?"

"More like are you sure they are ready for us?"

Hiccup smiled along with them; if they were ready then he was too. Lillian squeezed his hand before letting go, Astrid taking his other hand as they headed in. He'd had to talk the twins out of dressing identically. _And_ talk Astrid out of wearing that 'I'm Horny' t-shirt, although he conceded it would have been quite funny.

Still, Lillian looked much better in his hoody than Hiccup would have done, and Astrid was wearing Lillian's favourite jumper. Nobody else would understand, but Hiccup did; they were carrying a little of someone they had to quiet the connection with at that moment - Astrid was his only public girlfriend, and the twins certainly could not publicise _their_ relationship. Still, they were there together, and when they headed back later they could be free to be three again.

"Anyone we should watch out for?"

"How do you mean?"

"I don't know. Weird uncle who gets too close? Cousin who doesn't hear 'I'm not interested'?"

Hiccup frowned. Was that the sort of thing people worried about at parties with their family?

"If anyone in our family acted that way, well, they wouldn't be in the family much longer and lets leave it at that. If my cousins are drunk, they might keep trying but honestly, I wouldn't bring you here if you weren't safe here."

"Well, lucky you. Mind you, we haven't had to tolerate a family party for a while. This can't be worse."

He chuckled.

"I'd say you're a pessimist, but I know the people you're about to meet. Come on, before my mother realises we're hiding out here."

Bracing himself, Hiccup led them up to the house, winding through a few motorcycles and pick up trucks, past a couple of more expensive sets of wheels to the open door that would lead them out to the back yard. His grandfathers old farmland was long out of use growing, but spacious enough that the full family could pour in, set up a barbecue the size of a car and drink until they could barely stand.

"Hiccup!"

It took only a minute for Hiccup to be noticed and leapt upon by a nearby relative, almost knocking Lillian over in the process and dislodging his hand from Astrid's.

"Heyyyy Alvin" he wasn't totally sure how they were related, but he turned up to every party and most of his cousins called Alvin 'uncle', so Hiccup rolled with it and tried not to collapse under the weight of an arm the width of his torso "how's it going?"

The twins were looking at Hiccup being crushed by Alvin's heavy arm with wide eyes, possibly realising Hiccup had not been exaggerating. Finally wriggling free, Hiccup nudged Alvin off of him and was relieved to watch him amble off toward more alcohol, dragging air back into his lungs.

"I see my mother, hopefully she'll hide me from more relatives."

Laughing, Astrid and Lillian followed him over to where Valka was standing, skillfully dodging several people and opting to ignore the stares until he'd greeted his mother.

"Hey mom."

"Hiccup! And of course, Astrid and Lillian. I'm so glad you both agreed to come."

"Well, that makes one of us."

Valka rolled her eyes at him, scolding with little venom.

" _Behave._ You love them really."

"If you say so. Do they know you based a pack of rabid wild dragons on the Jorgensons?"

Soon laughing amongst themselves, Hiccup felt heavy blunt fingers rap at his shoulder, he and the twins both turning around to find several people staring.

"Are they twins or are we all so drunk there's two of them?"

Hiccup didn't get chance to answer before Lillian piped up, smile playing at the edge of her mouth.

"Wait, are they trying to say we look alike? That's news to me."

"Me too Lils. I mean, we couldn't look more different."

He could hear his mother stifling giggles as Scott and a few others all shared looks, squinting at the twins more intently as though differences would suddenly show themselves. Hiccup had to bite the inside of his cheek not to crack up laughing himself.

"Riiiight."

They left, still scratching their collective head and glancing back until Hiccup had to turn away to not be seen laughing, Astrid and Lillian not far behind on that.

"Never can resist a confused drunk."

"Yeah. Could we _be_ more identical?"

Hiccup had intimate knowledge of all the little variations between the two, but most he couldn't bring up in front of other people.

"Well, you have different freckles, so I guess technically yes, yes you could."

"We do?"

"Yeah. Your freckles are pretty light though, so I doubt anyone else notices that."

Astrid and Lillian shared a glance - Hiccup envisioned them comparing freckles in the mirror later - before shrugging and turning back to look at the slowly growing audience of people trying to work out if Hiccup was standing with identical twins. Rolling his eyes at his family, Hiccup took Astrid's hand.

"Food?"

"Yes! Food is good."

Once the shock had worn off, Hiccup rightly predicted people actually approaching where he stood with Lillian, laughing as Astrid attempted to squeeze more types of meat than strictly advisable between two pieces of bun.

"Hey Hiccup?"

"Yes Tuffnut?"

Tuff leant forward, as though imparting a very private secret.

"Are they twins?"

"Yes Tuff, they are."

"Wow! Cool! Hi. I'm a twin too. My sister is around here somewhere."

Astrid, with a mouthful of meat, could only nod at Tuff as he babbled, Lillian glancing sideways at Hiccup in that way he was used to when people first met Tuff - the 'is he always like this?' stare, which went right along with Tuff's tangent about whether or not he could reach the moon with a high enough ladder.

"Well, nice meeting you guys but I have to go make sure my chicken hasn't been cooked, I never trust a Jorgenson..."

Hiccup could only shrug at his girlfriends when they looked to him for some kind of explanation of what they had just witnessed.

"I did tell you today would be an experience."

Once one had braved the approach, more began to turn up to enquire as to why the twins were there, and Hiccup was asked repeatedly - in _front_ of Astrid and Lillian - how he told them apart, then whether or not they had had a threesome. The repetitive answers didn't seem to dissuade them, but Hiccup had been prepared for such eventualities and focused more on things like Lillian flicking bits of cake at Astrid, or watching the twins talking to his parents with smiles.

"I don't even need to ask if Astrid has a sister, I can see her! So Hiccup, can you hook me up?"

Hiccup could not think of someone _less_ Lillian's type than Scott, and vice versa.

"No, he can't. I'm already _hooked up,_ thanks."

A hand slid through his, then another on the other side. Hiccup glanced between the twins, but they were focused on an open-mouthed Scott.

"Whaaaa? Seriously, you're dating _both of them?"_

As surprised as Scott about it - at least, their openness - Hiccup shrugged, let them answer.

"Yeah, he is."

"Problem?"

Never in his life had Hiccup expected his cousins to look at him with something like awe, but apparently dating cute identical twins got him that. Not that he cared about approval, but the situation was unique enough that he could not fail to notice.

"Uh. Nope. I thought I was seeing things in that park before, but now I know I've gone completely crazy. Damnit Hiccup!"

With the answers they wanted and the gossip to take away with them, the three were left largely alone. Hiccup perched at one of the tables with Astrid and Lillian, who were wearing twin expressions of innocence.

"You didn't have to do that."

They grinned.

"Yeah, we know."

"We wanted to."

"And not just to make you look good."

"Though that was a bonus."

With ice well and truly broken, Hiccup watched as Astrid found herself taking a liking to the Jorgenson home brew. Lillian was less fond, so she joined Hiccup in watching Astrid get progressively drunk and rowdy with some of Hiccup's cousins.

"That's Astrid, yes?"

"Yeah. Lillian couldn't stomach that gut rotting stuff."

"Ah, she's got taste then."

"So has Astrid."

"Just not when it comes to alcohol. I'm not as much of a drinker."

Navigating a drunk Astrid back to the car as the party began to wind down, Hiccup bade his parents and relatives goodbye, increasingly struggling to convince Astrid to move rather than drape herself over him, giggling.

"I love youuuuuuuuu."

"I love you too, now get in the car."

Astrid relented, but only after she bit him and groped him roughly, turning feral eyes to Lillian and Hiccup needed to get her out of sight before she publicised the _real_ secret of their relationship. Lillian helped wrestle her into a seatbelt, rolling her eyes as Hiccup hopped in the front.

"How strong is that stuff?"

"Uh, not sure. I've never been able to get more than half a cup down me without the taste being too much, but it hospitalised a couple of distant relatives at uncle Spite's wedding when the bottles got mixed up with the shop-bought stuff" Lillian threw him a wide-eyed look in the rear view mirror "I was watching how much Astrid had, don't worry."

"So, hungover Astrid tomorrow then?"

Hiccup laughed.

"Ohhhh yeah. In fact, it ought to be knocking her out any minute now."

Sure enough, when Hiccup glanced back Astrid was out cold, snoring lightly. Lillian took a video to show her later. Hiccup doubted Astrid would consider it her finest moment, but she'd probably see the funny side when the hangover was gone.

They had to wake her to get her inside at the other end of the journey, and Astrid had never been so graceless. Neighbours undoubtedly heard her off-key singing, and Hiccup found it both endearing and hilarious as they managed to dump Astrid onto the sofa, Lillian going to fill a glass with water while Hiccup tried to fend off drunken Astrid's advances. Not easy when she was still ridiculously strong, even while she probably couldn't see straight.

"Hiiiiiiiiccuuuuuup."

"Astrid, the only thing I'm taking you to bed for tonight is sleeping."

"You're no fun. Lils, Hiccup's being mean!"

"Hey, I'm on his side. Drink this."

Astrid pouted, but after a short sulking she curled up on the sofa and fell right back to sleep. Sweet as she looked, Hiccup knew she'd complain if they left her there and so he picked her up to carry to bed, going slowly so as not to wake her and risk her trying to wriggle free on the stairs or something equally hazardous. Astrid wasn't prone to getting sick when drunk, but Hiccup placed the emptied out little bin at her side of the bed, just in case, adding a water bottle to the side table too.

"So... was that a successful meet the family or not? I have very little basis for comparison."

Lillian quizzed as they brushed their teeth before they joined Astrid in bed. It was a little early, but neither saw the point in staying up much later.

"Hm?" Hiccup hummed around his toothbrush, spitting foam into the sink so he could answer "Oh, yeah. You guys handled them brilliantly. They were impressed. What made you guys decide to do the whole..."

"We're both dating you thing?" he nodded "I don't know, it was a little spur of the moment but we both agreed we were done hiding so much. Obviously we have to be careful, but that was your family. Most of them won't even remember in the morning anyway."

"Heh. True. Thanks. I... I'm glad you felt safe enough to do that."

Lillian smiled.

"Us too."

-HTTYD-

 ***insert witty authors note here***


	26. Chapter 26

**I mean, if the twins survived a Haddock/Jorgenson family party what can't they handle?**

-HTTYD-

There were few places in the world Astrid could ever want to be more than in bed with Hiccup and Lillian. Even when they were just laying there, enjoying each others company. Naked company, usually, but that just meant warm skin under her hands whenever there were cuddles.

"Can I ask you guys something?"

"You just did."

Even without seeing her face, Astrid could feel Lillian roll her eyes.

" _Astrid._ Go ahead Hiccup."

"Do either of you plan on having children?"

Astrid blinked. _That_ was a bit out of the blue, though she conceded that they had yet to have such a conversation - with their unusual arrangement, they maybe hadn't talked about things like marriage and kids the way others might have.

"Where's this coming from?"

"Oh, uh, I was at my dads yesterday and uncle Spite was there, and naturally you guys came up. Spite was congratulating me, then asked my dad how he felt about it and he made a joke about 'twice the girlfriends, twice the grandkids!' and it made me realise we had never talked about it. So... this is me. Talking about it."

Before... before everything, really, when it had just been her and Lillian, Astrid hadn't really cared much so long as she had her sister. Then they'd... been apart, and Astrid resigned herself to the fact they'd both probably go on to marry people and probably have the whole nuclear, two point four kids families. It had never seemed to matter much, not when her heart still ached for her twin. Now though? Now was a strange mix in the middle of all those thoughts. She had Lillian, and they had Hiccup. A family with both her twin and with children was actually a possibility, she just hadn't _thought_ about it til now.

"I've always wanted kids. But later, when I'm done establishing myself in my work. I don't want to study for years, work my ass off against misogyny in STEM fields just to disappear off for a baby when they've only just started to take me seriously" Lillian rolled over, looking up at Astrid "what about you?"

Astrid had the passing knowledge Lillian wanted kids in the future, but it had always seemed like a conversation _for_ the future. Then she realised they were actually at a point where they were in a relationship that looked increasingly long term, and a conversation about the future was becoming more prudent. Hiccup watched them both quietly, waiting for their answer.

"I hadn't thought much about it... but I reckon one of us plus Hiccup would make pretty cute kids. I'm not sure how keen I am about pregnancy myself though, if I'm honest. I'm not _against_ the possibility of either me or you having his kids though."

Lillian smiled, fingers brushing Astrid's where their hands lay close on the bed. Both turned to Hiccup, curious.

"What about you? We were kinda planning without you for a minute."

"Me? Oh, definitely. It wasn't a deal breaker question, but yeah... I'd love to be a dad if you guys are on board. Like you said though, future. I wanna go back to school remember?"

Between Hiccup wanting to return to education and Lillian wanting to get a strong foothold in her career path, Astrid realised this conversation didn't only discuss the future, but quite far into said future. It was incredibly comforting to her to know they could talk that way, and that everyone seemed happy and at ease with the idea they'd still be together years down the line.

"I'm not sure about _twice the grandkids_ though. If your dad, or _you,_ expected to us to have four or five kids instead of maybe two or maybe three, then we'll have problems."

Hiccup shrugged.

"It's not up to him. He was making a joke anyway, but I think my parents would be over the moon with one grandchild. Any more would be a bonus for them to spoil."

Astrid shared a smile with Lillian, both nodding in agreement.

"Works for us."

They continued to laze around in bed together for a while, absently stroking bare skin, saying little and needing nothing more for the moment. Well, Astrid wouldn't have said no to snacks, but they weren't important enough to get out of bed for. Not when she was _so_ cosy she might never move again.

A phone began ringing, indicating someone had a commitment beyond the confines of their cuddles. After some scrambling, Hiccup located his phone and sighed, tapping 'answer' on the screen.

"Hello?"

Astrid knew by his tone it wasn't a welcome call, and the gist of his side of the conversation clearly said he was being called into work, his face distinctly unhappy about it.

"Yeah, bye."

He'd barely hung up when Lillian reached over and touched his forearm, Astrid easily able to imagine the reassurance on her face.

"It's fine, duty calls."

"Yeah. It's only for a few hours, you two are welcome to stay here while I'm gone if you want."

"An invitation not to get out of bed? Suits me."

Hiccup got up and dressed, reluctance clear, leaning over the bed to take his goodbye kisses from the twins who stayed resolutely cosy and snuggled in bed, promising to cheer him up when he got back. Lillian rolled over, facing Astrid now it wouldn't entail ignoring Hiccup.

"Did you think about this stuff when we were... you know? Not together?"

Astrid shrugged.

"Kinda. More... I figured we'd probably end up with husbands and kids down the line. Or at least you would. I was pretty sure I'd never fall for anyone again after you."

Lillian offered Astrid a sad sort of smile, kissed her softly.

"You seemed to be doing ok with Hiccup."

"I guess. But I still felt like something was missing, and I think I always would have."

She didn't feel that way anymore. Not now she had Lillian _and_ Hiccup.

"I'm here now."

Lillian nuzzled her, cuddling tight until Astrid's arms slid around her in turn.

"Does beg the question though... are we gonna be specific about which of us the kids call mom?"

Astrid shook her head.

"Hel no. Your kids are my kids, and I doubt anybody would really question it. Hiccup's mom already knows about us, and since his dad still can't tell us apart he can't reasonably expect a child to always be able to pick which twin gave birth to them."

Lillian hummed.

"Good point. It's weird having someone know about us and just... not doing anything about it."

"Yeah. But Valka's not mom. So long as we keep her son happy, I think we're good Lils."

"Well, we can handle that."

The twins shared a giggle, obviously in agreement that keeping their boyfriend happy was a job they eagerly shared.

"He's pretty easy to keep happy anyway. Eat his food, be naked, listen to him talk about dragons."

Lillian rolled her eyes.

"You're even easier. We just have to feed you and be naked."

Astrid winked, in agreement and unashamed.

"I'm a simple girl with simple needs Lils."

Reluctantly, Astrid let Lillian convince her out of bed, since she wanted to take cooking off of Hiccup's to do list for the evening and so they ought to investigate if he had enough food in or if they needed to do a supply run. Astrid was hopeful they needed to do said run - Hiccup was out of lube, and Astrid had... plans. Grabbing the spare key from the side, the twins headed out. It was a very domestic feeling, having a key to their boyfriends house and heading out to pick up dinner.

Lillian raised an eyebrow when she saw Astrid drop the lube into their basket, but aside from the sparkle of mischief in her eye there was no response. Astrid shrugged to herself and dumped a bag of mixed nuts in the basket for her to snack on when Lillian inevitably banned her from getting within three feet of the cooker later. They shared wry grins when they picked up bananas, knowing how Hiccup so frequently went through a lot of them for his oh so popular banana bread.

The young man on the tills was quite unsure where to look, between obviously not wanting to stare at the twins and gods only knew what he thought when he scanned the lube for them. Astrid hoped his imagination ran _riot._ What fun was it otherwise?

"You did that on purpose."

"Did what?"

Lillian gave her the "I don't believe you" look, which Astrid answered with her most saccharine, innocent smile.

"You intentionally put the lube on the belt right after the stuff he had to weigh out, so you knew he'd be paying the most attention. Why do you like flustering strangers so much?"

"Well, if they are going to stare at my chest or ass, I am going to get my tiny revenge."

Astrid did not miss Lillian's eyes sliding down over said chest, though as they were in public there was little more her sister could do than give appreciative glances. She swallowed thickly as she turned away, almost marching resolutely off and Astrid bit back laughter - Lils was too easy to fluster herself sometimes, while others she could be stone-faced and driving Astrid to distraction instead. It was a fun back and forth that they had.

"Let me help!"

"You can help by staying over there so nothing explodes."

Grumbling, Astrid sat down and huffed, wondering how much Lillian would mind if she started throwing peanuts at her. Probably a lot. It depended on the day. Astrid only restrained herself from it because what Lils was making looked tasty, and probably wouldn't benefit from stray nuts added. It meant she was the one free to go jump on Hiccup when he got back from work, smelling like oil and metal and exertion and if food weren't almost done, Astrid would probably have tackled him to the floor there and then.

"Hello to you too."

"Hi. Lils kept trying to evict me from the kitchen, she's mean to me."

"I'm sorry, but I have to side with her since I like my kitchen the way it is."

Astrid pouted. Hiccup kissed her. It was impossible not to smile when he did so, hands on her waist holding her to him so tenderly it left her a little breathless. She'd never expected to fall in love after Lillian, but now she'd never regret jumping the hot guy in the nightclub - it led them to where she was now, deliriously happy with them both.

"Go get changed, I'll check in with Lils."

Hiccup pecked another kiss to her lips, grinned.

"Take that to her from me."

Well, Astrid wasn't going to say no to that. Hiccup detoured to change into his comfies and clean up before dinner, so Astrid headed back to the kitchen, dropped the promised kiss on her sisters lips.

"That was from Hiccup."

"Ah, I didn't know we could send kisses through a courier these days."

"There's a website for everything, I would not be surprised if that actually existed" Astrid glanced over, checked nothing was at immediate risk of burning before she pulled her twin to her "but I reserve the right to handle your case personally."

"I think you might have to share the job with Hiccup, but otherwise I have no complaints."

Astrid laughed, rather liking how Lillian smelled of cinnamon and spice from whatever she'd made for after dinner. Probably cookies. They were Lillian's specialty, while Hiccup reigned supreme in the cake department.

"Good, because I do not take complaints."

Lillian shook her head, burying her face in Astrid's neck and giggling as they embraced. Hiccup found them like that, giving the two a soft, fond smile.

"This is really nice and all, but whatever you made smells amazing and if I don't let you finish I will have to eat you. Not that I think you'd mind."

"Honestly, one track mind."

Astrid gasped, feigning overdramatic reactions as she placed a hand on her chest.

"Excuse me! I have a two track mind. Food and sex."

"Or me and Hiccup."

"Exactly. See" Astrid turned to Hiccup, pouting "I told you she was mean to me."

"In her defence, you have a filthy mouth."

"And both of you like it, so don't pretend its a problem."

Hiccup dragged her - admittedly, Astrid offered no resistance - in to a hug, nuzzling her hair and chuckling.

"I do love you, and that includes the fact you have the vocabulary of a drunk sailor."

Astrid couldn't fight the smile that crossed her face, leaning back into Hiccup for a minute.

"Good!"

She laid the table while Hiccup helped Lillian finish up, which meant food was ready faster and the oven left warm to bake cookies later - Astrid had snuck a taste of the cookie dough, and they were warming and just the right amount of sweet, a definite nod to the oncoming autumn. Lillian caught her, playfully aiming the wooden spoon at her like scolding a child so Astrid bent over, turned to flash her sister a challenging grin.

"I thought you were hungry."

"I am! But whether thats to get fed or get fucked is a very flexible thing."

Autumn was important to them - come September it would be Lillian's final year of university. And with that, the last year they had to _hide._

-HTTYD-

 **I may or may not have been making pumpkin spice oat biscuits earlier, and I too am looking forward to autumn. It's only april and it is already too hot.**


	27. Chapter 27

**ShipMistress - you are my absolute favourite reader and don't you dare say otherwise!**

 **Warning of brief discussion of sexual assault (nobody is actually hurt! just words!)**

-HTTYD-

"Seriously? You never thought that?"

"I never thought that. Why would I?"

"I don't know. I guess I always thought that you might, at some point."

Lillian glanced down, only looking up when Hiccup placed fingers under her chin and tipped her head back up.

"You're different, sure, but I love you both for exactly who each of you are, not some imaginary middle ground in between."

She'd asked if at any point Hiccup had thought himself more compatible with one twin or the other, and Hiccup couldn't believe she'd needed to ask. Well, actually he could. He had admitted to crushing on the non-existent girl who was both of them before he discovered that they were two seperate people. But right from the start, Hiccup had never really felt like he could have picked, and was at the point of walking out rather than string both girls along before they revealed a secret new option.

"Honestly, I never would have been able to 'choose'. I was just too scared to say that because I knew I liked you both so much, but then I realised I was almost putting it on you two to decide enough was enough, and I didn't like doing that to you. But it was never you _or_ Astrid. It was always you _and_ Astrid."

Finally, she smiled. Hiccup smiled in turn. Occasional insecurities were bound to come up in any relationship, especially in one with complications and differences like theirs. Early on, Hiccup had had some himself, like his "well you don't need me" concerns. But they talked things through, and resolved them. Like now, Lillian's faint but real concern that at some point, Hiccup had envisioned a relationship with just one. It was categorically untrue, but Hiccup was glad she'd brought it up so they could discuss it and get rid of niggles like that.

"Feel better now?"

"Yeah. Sorry for being weird. I don't doubt you, or us. Just..."

"Hey, it's fine. We had a pretty weird start, but I think we have a pretty good future ahead."

Her smile grew wider.

"Me too."

They shared a frown when the door knocked, realising a second later what it meant. Lillian dropped her head back with a groan, then nudged at Hiccup to stand up.

"I better answer it. It only makes her more suspicious if we don't."

"And finding me here with you rather than Astrid _isn't_ suspect?"

Lillian winked.

"That would be a problem... if she could tell us apart."

Lillian stood, heading for the door and sure enough, Mrs Hofferson resided the other side of it. And, as usual, didn't wait to be invited in.

"Where is Astrid?"

Hiccup swallowed thickly, but Lillian took it in stride.

"Right here."

Her mother looked her over, frowning.

"That's not your jumper. I bought that for your sister."

"Yeah, and Lils is more organised and has more clean clothes than me. I'll give it back, don't worry."

It shouldn't really surprise him, Hiccup supposed, but it was a little eerie how spot-on Lillian's impression of Astrid was, down to the slightly exaggerated way she talked with her hands sometimes and crossed over to Hiccup.

"Right. Where is your sister?"

"Not here."

"And when will she be back?"

Lillian shrugged offhandedly, leant into Hiccup.

"I think she said she had studying to do. She tries to stay out a lot when Hiccup's here."

Mrs Hofferson eyed Hiccup, and he spared a second to wonder if she preferred or disliked that his presence could apparently form a wedge between the twins. Either way, Astrid would be home very soon and getting rid of the woman in front of them would be beneficial for multiple reasons. Not least because she was unwelcome there, but there was an unspoken pressure that being too obvious about chasing her out would raise suspicions, and so the twins had to tolerate her intermittent appearances for the while until Lillian graduated.

After that? All bets were off. They'd agreed that after that, they'd look for somewhere to live together, which made financial sense as well as logistical sense - why pay rent on two places when they spent almost all their time together anyway? And it would mean less back and forth between the homes too. Hiccup would happily have just had them move in with him, but they agreed that two bedrooms was a better bet - in case someone needed space, and for at least the _image_ of propriety if they were going to let anyone in on the fact that both girls dated Hiccup, they'd need something that said there were times not all three were _together._

Either way, Hiccup was excited.

Before they could actually excise Mrs Hofferson from the home, a sound they had feared would coincide did indeed coincide; Astrid's key in the lock, the turning of someone who expected it to be locked only to find it wasn't before the door then opened. Astrid was dressed in a rather non-Lillian way herself, and stopped dead as she took in the scene before her.

"Ah. Lillian."

Astrid's only response for a beat was to look past her mother to the couple standing behind her, who both just nodded vigorously.

"Yes mother?"

"Why are you dressed like... _that_?"

In her typical running attire of sports top and leggings, it wasn't what Lillian would wear to the gym either, but their mother was unlikely to know that.

"I was working out. Exercise is a vital part of academic success, you know."

"Hm. Your sister said you were studying."

Lillian tacked on her reply, just as Astrid would have. If Hiccup didn't know who was who, he might be fooled too.

"No, I said I _thought_ she was studying."

"I am soon. I came back to shower and change, then I am off to the library. Did you need something mom?"

"Yes. A word. Alone."

Astrid frowned.

"Why? What are we talking about that they can't hear?"

"The past has taught me to be wary how much you and your sister share, and I have things to discuss with you about your tuition."

Hiccup winced inwardly; she was cold and threatening without even trying. Astrid gestured to a nearby door, pulling a face at Hiccup and Lillian behind her back before following her mother in. The two left behind shared a look, and Hiccup knew Lillian was as tempted as he was to creep up to the door and listen in, but Astrid would tell them anyway and it wouldn't do to be caught eavesdropping. So they shuffled back toward the sofa, quietly waiting.

"If Astrid kills her where do we hide the body?"

"My grandpas farm, nobody will look there."

Lillian buried her face in his shoulder, quieting the laughs that shook her frame and looking up at him with her teeth in her bottom lip, trying to suppress a smile.

"You're _terrible!_ "

"And?"

"And I love you for it."

He smiled, pressed a kiss to her forehead and felt her lace her fingers through his, leaning back into him as they waited. The conversation, whatever it was, was too quiet for more than dulled murmurs they couldn't decipher, unintelligible save for the serious tone. Mrs Hofferson left with only a comment along the lines of "consider it!" before she was gone - not even saying goodbye to her other daughter, let alone Hiccup - before Astrid reappeared, face clouded over and she wouldn't meet either of their eyes.

"I need a shower."

"Hey wait" Lillian paid her sweaty state no mind before she gripped Astrid, forcing her twin to stay in place "what happened in there?"

Astrid tried to shrug Lillian off, but it was clear she wasn't trying all that hard and she soon settled against her twin, sighing deeply.

"Well first there was a warning not to fail after she's put so much into 'my' education, and then she went on to remind me 'I' was lucky she did that at all after what 'I' did" they didn't have to clarify; the woman had clearly meant the twins relationship "but then it all shifted and she let me know, that if I didn't feel safe here I could move back in with them. Basically she accused me of raping you."

Hiccup bit back a gasp; whatever was going on didn't have anything to do with him, so he took a step back to let the twins... deal with it, he supposed.

Lillian was not so quiet.

 _"What?"_

Astrid finally turned around, dislodging Lillian's arms and still not quite looking at her.

"Yeah. And she was oh so worried I might trick you into terrible things again, this time with my boyfriend of such clearly questionable character - sorry Hiccup, she doesn't like you either - that she just couldn't wait to offer you an out any longer."

In any other situation, Hiccup might have found it comical, but the grotesque accusation Astrid had had to hear for herself left little room for humour as Lillian turned, practically vibrating with anger.

"I'll kill her!"

Astrid was quick to restrain her, though Lillian was easily strong enough to drag her a few steps until Astrid turned to Hiccup with a very clear "help please" on her face, so he moved in front of Lillian and hoped not to get hit or shoved aside. The quiet twin she might be, but Hiccup knew better than to underestimate her.

"Slow down feisty pants, getting arrested would kinda defeat the point don't you think?"

Lillian growled, but didn't try to charge out after her mother any longer, still visibly seething.

"How _dare_ she! She was ready to have us _arrested_ and now suddenly she's pretending she fucking cares?"

Astrid held her tighter, waited for Lillian to stop shaking.

"I know Lils, but I also know our mother is a vicious, evil bitch. I don't even think _really_ believes it, but its probably much easier to rationalise when she already doesn't like me that I was some kind of monster and you were just a helpless victim, too quiet and pure to stop me."

Despite her own hurt, Hiccup watched Astrid shift immediately to soothing Lillian, calming and gentle as she waited for the rage to ease a little. With a huge sigh and seeming to deflate a little before his eyes, Lillian turned to her sister.

"The huge flaw in that idea is that I kissed you first."

Finally, Astrid smiled. He hoped Lillian did too, but he couldn't see her face.

"You know that, I know that. Oddly enough I chose _not_ to share that fact with mother dearest."

They kissed, holding each other before Lillian pulled away, something about her face making Astrid laugh.

"You really need a shower."

"Yeah, I know."

Hiccup gently touched Lillian's shoulder, smiling in a way he hoped was reassuring when she looked at him.

"Go with her."

"What, really?"

"Yeah. I can amuse myself, you guys need your twin time. It's cool."

Both kissed him sweetly, left Hiccup smiling as they joined hands and headed off up the stairs. It wasn't _that_ often they needed time specifically without him there, but he would never begrudge them it. And given what their mother had just done, he could definitely understand their need then, to reassure and comfort each other. Sometimes they'd just stare at each other for several minutes, barely moving or speaking and yet Hiccup knew an entire conversation would have passed between them through that unique connection they had.

Heading through to start on dinner so it would be ready to go whenever they came down, Hiccup also set up Astrid's protein shake for her to mix when she came down too, smiling to himself at a happier moment - yesterdays conversation where the twins joked that wherever they lived would need a big kitchen, and Lillian had been promptly tickled by her sister for saying Hiccup should put a sign on the door saying "Astrid-free zone".They just had to get through Lillian's last year. Then they were free.

-HTTYD-

 **I have a fond, happy memory of someone several chapters back messaging me with the words "yeet Mrs Hofferson into the sun" and it always feels apt whenever I'm writing her.**


	28. Chapter 28

***glances back* wow this story is so long... I swear it was like, 3-5 chapters max when I got the prompt...**

-HTTYD-

Yawning aloud, she laid her head on the table and groaned.

"Nooooo."

Astrid and Hiccup both looked over at her, confused.

"What is it?"

"No more studying please."

They both laughed, which Lillian glared at.

"Technically, the only person making you study right now is _you._ Want some help? Or a distraction?"

"Or banana bread?"

Hiccup added, and Lillian's stomach rumbled almost as if on cue. He chuckled, the two standing and Astrid headed over to Lillian while Hiccup headed toward the kitchen. He returned a couple of minutes later with mugs of tea, then went back and returned again with the plate of banana bread he'd made earlier, jars of peanut butter and chocolate spread in the pocket of his jumper. Astrid had shuffled Lillian's revision aside carefully, then sat on her lap to stop her going back to it.

"Eat. Drink. Refuel the brain."

Lillian rolled her eyes, but took the chocolate spread and slathered banana-flavoured goodness in it, a little awkwardly with Astrid still in her lap.

"This isn't the fun kind of tag teaming you know."

"But equally important, if it means you take care of yourself."

She couldn't even feign annoyance at that, smiling to herself as she chewed that they were so quick and keen to care for her, stopping Lillian burning out on her last year at university. Appreciative, Lillian was even smilier when Astrid kissed her with chocolate spread still on her lip, sweet and playful until she was giggling.

"Feel better? Or would you like more distractions?"

Lillian debated it, but with tea and banana bread warm in her belly and mood lifted by Astrid's mischief and Hiccup's smile, she felt much better.

"Better. I'll let you know if I need a break again."

Astrid kissed her again, nodding.

"Let me know if you need help. I can always make flash cards for studying again."

Lillian burst out giggling, confusing Hiccup where he was sat nearby.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something?"

Astrid laughing along too, they tried to control themselves enough to get the words out.

"When I was studying in college, before... before" everyone let _that_ fade away "Astrid helped me revise by making flash cards. Except every time I got it right, she _actually_ flashed me. For really tough stuff it was more like strip poker, every right answer got one more item of clothing off."

"And you passed with flying colours, so I would say it worked!"

Hiccup had joined them in amusement, shaking his head fondly.

"Well, whatever works!"

He stood, circling the table to kiss her sweetly before prying Astrid from her lap.

"I'll go make you a drink to study with. Astrid, want to beat some dough?"

Cooking would never be Astrid's strong suit, but Hiccup let her help wherever it didn't pose serious health risk, and Astrid enjoyed being included in something Hiccup and Lillian both did regularly. Although with Lillian slowly suffocating under the weight of final year, it fell to Hiccup more often lately. He didn't seem to mind, even shooed her away when Lillian tried to help unless she begged for a break from studying.

Hiccup did indeed bring her a fresh drink, then they left her to it. The material seemed to absorb slightly better now, and when Lillian called quits on it an hour later, she found bread dough rising on one side and Hiccup putting Astrid's aggressive culinary skills to a new use - he had her mixing buttercream icing by hand. It was thick and heavy, required a stubborn strength to get it going without an electric tool and Astrid was in her element.

"Aren't you supposed to use a mixer for that?"

"Yeah. But you guys don't have one here, and Astrid seems to be enjoying the workout. I didn't even finish softening the butter."

Hiccup leant over the bowl, nodding to Astrid to say she was done. Astrid immediately stuck her finger in it, licking it off and humming.

"Alright, you win. Homemade tastes better."

Hiccup grinned smugly.

"Told you!"

Astrid offered a scoop of the frosting to Lillian next, eyes sparkling and smirk widening when Lillian licked it from her finger.

"Good?"

"Mhmm. Are you actually making this to go on something?"

"Yeah. You had eggs that need using up before they go out of date tomorrow, and the banana bread is almost gone so I'm making cupcakes. Good for you to grab when you need a boost while studying."

Lillian nodded, then glanced at the egg box in surprise.

"When do we ever not finish a box of eggs?"

Astrid went through lots of them, since they were a good protein breakfast.

"Hiccup brought a new box when he was baking a few days back, and left them here. So we had extra eggs. And now we'll have cake! Wow, imagine how much better I could look if I gave up Hiccup's baking."

Lilian tsked.

"You're perfect, you dolt."

Astrid winked.

"I know, but imagine the abs I could have if I was dating a guy who barely knew what the oven did. Don't worry Hiccup, I love you more than six packs."

Hiccup laughed, turning toward the oven.

"That's a relief, since I will never have one."

Both twins watched Hiccup bend over - he had a _great_ ass - the whole time, waiting until he rose again with a tray of freshly baked cupcakes. Putting them down to cool, he turned in time to see Astrid stealing more icing out of the bowl.

"I'd tell you you'll spoil your dinner, but I have long learned that that's impossible."

As baked bread was on the menu that evening, Hiccup also had the fixings in to make soup. Lillian felt like she was ruined for ready-meals by him and his domestic-god self. They iced cakes and relaxed, then there was baking bread and cooking soup and a wonderfully warming, enjoyable dinner. Evenings like that made Lillian excited for when they'd live together, when Hiccup wouldn't have to go, where they couldn't leave work and clothes in the wrong place all the time. Well, provided she survived the last of uni. It _felt_ like her degree was out to kill her.

* * *

Going through applying to university while Lillian was getting ever closer to graduation did give Hiccup pause for a moment - should he have done this sooner? Was he too old?

When he voiced that, Astrid threatened to shake sense into him.

"I studied first aid and personal training for a year, and thats it. You've already been to college, and you weren't ready to go to university yet. It's way better to do something when you're ready and smash it, than rush into it and struggle because it was the wrong time."

Lillian nodded in agreement, gesturing to the pile of study material.

"I am a creature of determination to finish this and be _done_ with our mother, and I'm still beat to hell from it. Do you feel like you wasted time getting better at your job?"

Hiccup shook his head.

"No."

"Then you didn't. Were you even certain you wanted to train as an engineer when you were a teenager?" again, he shook his head "there you go, you might have ended up on a whole other path, rushing and ending up with a degree you didn't even want. Instead, you took a break, found your thing, and had _time_ to decide it was what you wanted to do. Also, we'd probably have killed each other if we were both final year students, or died letting Astrid feed us."

"Hey!"

Lillian kissed her sister, which erased any hint of discontent from Astrid, who probably didn't mind much to begin with. Ever since she met Valka and found a kindred kitchen-danger spirit in her, they spent much of their time together complaining Hiccup and Lillian were terribly mean to them. That thought reminded him.

"Oh, my mom wants to come over for dinner soon, are you guys up for coming?"

"Do you want us there?"

Hiccup nodded eagerly.

"Mom asked specifically, she likes seeing you. You make her laugh."

He knew they had a lingering concern toward Valka, since finding out his mother had strong suspicions about the true nature of their relationship. But that had been a while ago now, and they were relaxing - said mother had never so much as brought it up again, and she was never caught watching the twins closely as though looking for clues. Hiccup was content with it - his mother was more concerned he was happy, and whatever she thought, it ought to be incredibly clear the three of them were very much happy together. He adored them both, weird and wonderful in their own ways.

When Hiccup let his mother in to his home for her agreed upon visit, she walked in to see Lillian reading - one of Valka's books, no less - with her head resting on Astrid's leg, where she'd been for the last half an hour. It wasn't an intentional test, per se, but Hiccup had reassured them they didn't have to move. They did all wait for a very tense second or two despite themselves, but nothing happened.

"Good to see you girls again."

The twins smiled up at her, greeting Valka in turn as Hiccup took her coat and she sat down, eyes flicking across the cover of what Lillian was reading.

"I thought you'd finished them."

"I did! I just loved them so much I had to go again. It distracts me from the _awful_ cliffhanger you left the last one on!"

Hiccup saw that proud, plotting smile cross his mothers face - even _he_ wasn't allowed to know what was coming! - as she heard a reader express distress for the unknown at the end of her last book.

"Well, thank you."

"Soooo... are you working on the next one?"

Lillian enquired hopefully, earning a giggle from his mother.

"I have the layout for the whole set of this already worked out, but no, I took a break after finishing the last. I start working on it next month, I promise you and Hiccup will be the first to see it when it's done."

"Good, I no longer have to disown you."

"Hiccup!"

He leant down and threw an arm around her shoulders, kissed his mothers temple.

"I'm kidding. Love you. Even if you are an evil, _evil_ author."

"I take it this series is not based on a childhood story you know the ending of?"

Hiccup nodded.

"Yeah, my childhood stories ended..." he ran his fingers across the covers on his bookshelf, tapped a soft purple one "here. I did 'consult' on some of the dragons in the new ones, and mom bounces ideas off me a lot, but I know nothing of the upcoming one."

"So you can't exchange sexual favours for spoilers Lils."

"Astrid!"

Chuckling, Hiccup left the chaos of the living room to go to the kitchen, checking on dinner for four. When he headed back through, they'd moved on to discussing university.

"Have you finished your applications yet son?"

"Almost. I've done my first two choices, doing another two. Hopefully one of them will have me."

Astrid snorted to herself, then looked up at where Hiccup was holding several booklets for universities.

"I think it would be hilarious if two of them want you and you have to sit there trying to pick. You can't pick both this time!"

Lillian tutted at Astrid's joke, but Hiccup could see she was fighting a laugh herself. Hiccup opted to play along and quipped back.

"I'll be happy with one _this_ time."

"Ohhh, I see what you did there! See Lils, it was all a cunning plan of his to get us both."

"Eh. It worked out alright, and he feeds us. He got away with that one."

Valka was giving them all looks of something between fondness and exasperation.

"Mad, the lot of you."

"Well, they gotta be to come anywhere near our family. Sane people could be put off by Tuffnut alone!"

The afternoon became evening, with dinner and conversation and a little too much wine, which left Hiccup in a room with three very giggly women all exchanging embarrassing stories about him, while he sat there trying to be annoyed but far too thrilled to see the bonding, the happiness. It was probably too soon to say anything to the twins...

...but he already saw them as part of his family.

-HTTYD-

 **n'awh, look at that love struck dork!**


	29. Chapter 29

**We return for irregularly scheduled love struck dorks.**

 **(If I got anything wrong here, I'm sorry! I tried!)**

-HTTYD-

Lillian stirred with a low groan, not quite hungover but regretting not drinking enough water the night before after a few glasses of spiced cider. She and Astrid were not really big on celebrating Christmas, given they lacked desire to spend time with their parents and didn't need an excuse to eat together or give each other gifts themselves.

But Hiccup's family held Yuletide celebrations, and the twins were invited to all of them. They were gifted baskets of food and bottles of homemade cider by multiple people, and Hiccup had taught them how to make several things that they too gifted out, like caraway cakes and edible yule logs. Hiccup even showed them family recipes he'd been taught by his grandparents who had learned from _their_ grandparents and son. Recipes for stuff like yuletide pork pies and something he called fried honeycakes, that were _divine_ and a little addictive.

"Are you allowed to show these recipes to us?"

Hiccup pouted slightly in thought, stirring spices into the meat mix for the next batch of pies.

"Well, yeah. It's a _family_ recipe. You two are family. That's why you're invited."

The twins shared a look, then both found themselves grinning dopily at Hiccup.

"What?"

"You. We're just..."

"Appreciating you."

He offered his toothy smile in return, tasting the mix and humming happily.

They took every opportunity to kiss Hiccup under the mistletoe that hung all around, learned from one of Hiccup's wizened old aunts how to make their own decorations out of ivy and holly. Lillian even saw Hiccup hand-weaving baskets with his mother, both laughing as Stoick placed sprigs of holly on their head. It was so far removed from the sterile traditions of the same decorations dragged out of the loft, the relatives who didn't like them coming over for a meal everyone ate too much of but didn't really enjoy. After proper spiced cider, Lillian and Astrid agreed they were ruined for shop-bought mulled wine.

"My work here is done!"

Stoick proclaimed at that, pulling both Astrid and Lillian into hugs before he headed off to presumably get stuck into one of the multiple meat roasts waiting around to be devoured.

"What are these?"

Astrid quizzed, eyeing the plate of bright orange iced cookies.

"Sun cookies. This is a celebration of the winter solstice, the point at which the dark half of the year gives control back to the light. So we have moon cookies for the dark side, and sun cookies to celebrate the sun coming back."

It would probably be a while before they picked up all the traditions and reasons behind them, but that didn't stop anyone including them as everyone headed out for the yule log burning. Hiccup drew them both in to a cuddle, nobody seeming to even pay their polyamorous relationship any mind by then, the shock worn off since the family birthday party and everyone mellowed out by their night to celebrate being halfway out of the dark.

Lillian found it fitting; they were almost done with the darkness of secrecy themselves, and nights like that one only proved to her they were doing the right thing. She was happy to give up bread sauce and candycanes for sun cookies and solstice soup. And shedding false family facades for the warm, cinnamon-scented comfort around her now was a no brainer.

"Did we just become pagans?"

"I don't think you're obligated to convert, no. But if you want, next year you're welcome to the Samhain celebrations."

"Were we not this year?"

Hiccup shrugged, faint wince on his face.

"Not really. Nobody would have stopped me bringing you, but Yule is a more traditional time to invite new people to our celebrations I guess? At least with my family. While Samhain is often observed in smaller groups, but as a lot of my family aren't religiously strictly adherent, we try to... celebrate in other ways. We appreciate nature and remember our dead. You'd have heard stories of our ancestors. But you were basically adopted when aunt Gothi taught you her way, and definitely welcome to our Samhain next year."

"So... you don't celebrate Halloween?"

Hiccup shook his head.

"I buy bags of sweets for trick or treaters, and the decorations have kind of bled over so nobody who isn't observant knows much difference. But no, we don't celebrate Halloween."

He might not believe in every Pagan deity that the traditions themselves were for, but it was clear to them that Hiccup's family felt observing the same traditions their ancestors had done was important. Lillian hoped he hadn't felt he had to hide that from them until now - he hadn't mentioned it last winter either. But Hiccup certainly seemed happier for it all, unlike Lillian's vague memories of everyone elses post-Christmas slump when she was younger.

"This cider isn't like that stuff that had Astrid almost flat on her ass before is it?"

Hiccup shook his head, snacking on a cookie from last night as a pre-breakfast treat it seemed.

"No. It's an old recipe that nobody really deviates from. I wouldn't drink it like water, but it is meant to be enjoyed. Just not before driving or operating heavy machinery."

"I will bear that in mind."

He nodded, filling up the kettle for morning brews.

"So, did you enjoy it?"

"It was amazing. Truly, incredible."

"Yeah. And everyone was so _nice_ to us."

Hiccup chuckled.

"They're nice people. Even Snotface has to behave himself at Yule or face the wrath of aunt Gothi's staff."

Lillian found herself laughing, remembering what she'd thought was an oversized walking stick at the side of the old lady's chair, those small gnarled hands of hers still perfectly capable of forming wreaths and perfect twists in her ivy.

"Gothi isn't your dads sister, right?"

"No, she's my grandpas sister. But there's so many of us now that remembering who's a great and who's a half or step... we gave up on anything more descriptive."

Drinks and breakfasts later, they exchanged a few gifts to round off the celebrations, took a walk to appreciate coming out of the other side of the solstice, and then that was it really. Still, it left Lillian feeling far more warmth and contentment than Christmas ever had, and she and Astrid both had a couple of baskets of food and drink to get through, which Hiccup went through explaining the right storage and shelf life of each.

December 25th came and went with nothing more remarkable than the standard fare of movies trotted out every year on TV, and honestly Lillian didn't feel like she was missing anything. They all had a few days completely empty, no jobs or coursework, just quiet time for the three of them after the Yule celebrations. Valka dropped by for a visit, as did Stoick, and as always Hiccup's parents treated them like part of the family.

Valka even brought gifts - Lillian got her own set of Valka's storybooks, autographed to her personally with a hand-drawn bookmark. Astrid got a years membership to the climbing centre she'd only mentioned having her eye on joining in passing, and both Hofferson twins were ecstatic. Since his parents had insisted on splitting the cost of Hiccup's upcoming university tuition, _he'd_ insisted on them not getting him anything other than the typical gifts of food and drink for Yule.

Of course, they gave him things anyway. Small, practical - new sturdy boots from his father, a warm jumper and blanket from his mother.

Hiccup joked that the blanket would come in handy when the twins stole the covers, only to realise he'd as much as admitted he wasn't the one sleeping in the middle. Valka was quiet for a minute, everyone waiting with barely a breath. Then she smiled, let out a soft laugh.

"Not the jumper?"

There was a collective relaxing; being quite sure Valka knew and accidentally almost admitting as much were two different things, but it seemed to have slid past without incident.

"You underestimate how much they steal my clothes. I'm putting this on now just so I've had the chance to wear it!"

Astrid stuck her tongue out, giggling as Hiccup swapped the jumper he had on for the new one.

"Nah, if we leave that one alone you can't complain when we take your others. It's a win win!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes, but allowed the twins to borrow his new blanket which was admittedly very snuggly. Apparently, where Valka lacked in cooking she excelled in knitting. And writing. Definitely writing.

"That means we're gonna have two full sets of your moms books when we live together you know."

"Yeah, but me and Lillian will have our own bookcases. It'll just make mom look more famous."

Astrid sighed dramatically.

"Nerds."

Lillian pinched her under the blanket, grinning when Astrid yelped and jumped.

"Hey!"

"What?"

Astrid glared, but didn't answer other than to slide a hand out of their cosy perch for a biscuit. Valka laughed watching them, sliding an arm around her son and squeezing him in a hug.

"It was lovely to have all three of you with us for Yule. Everyone was quite taken with you, and you already know those pies of yours stole the show a little."

"Astrid and Lillian helped with those, so it was a group show stealing effort."

"And by help, he means we sampled many of those honey cake things. Just to make sure they came out alright."

Stoick had equally complimentary things to say about their presence at the celebrations, enthusing about how they had joined so eagerly. He gave both Astrid and Lillian the same boots he'd given Hiccup as gifts too, which Hiccup insisted was a pretty long-term investment from him.

"Mine lasted me four years, and that was wearing them to work. Neither of you are going to put that kind of daily stress on them, so they ought to last you a good while."

"And now ya match!"

The twins both burst out laughing; it was a while since anyone made that sort of quip to them.

"Yes. I wonder what that's like."

"We've never matched before!"

When the holiday season was over and Lillian headed back to university, she realised the difference in the way other people talked about their holidays to hers. Everyone was fussing about weight gain from Christmas excess, spending too much on gifts and seeing people they didn't like.

"So what did you do for Christmas Lillian?"

Someone asked as she sat making notes from a textbook, looking up to expectant and curious faces.

"I didn't. But Astrid and I went to a Solstice celebration, and it was really good."

"A what celebration?"

"Solstice. It's a celebration older than Christmas, it's celebrating the longest night of the year because it means the days will start getting longer."

And, Lillian thought to herself, a realisation of how close the darkness was to lifting. Freedom was _so close,_ and she could hardly wait.

* * *

Hiccup didn't think they were serious about the cards. Then he realised he ought not to have doubted them, especially given Astrid was the sort of girlfriend who got a t-shirt made with the words "I'm Horny" written across the front in bold, noticeable print. That exact t-shirt currently lay on the floor, discarded when Lillian was successful in answering Astrid's question.

"Come on, you got this Lils."

She had a couple of months yet, but Lillian was pushing herself with grit and determination to do her absolute best and it meant Astrid and Hiccup's jobs were to juggle helping her study and keeping her from wearing herself out. Hiccup kept her fed, Astrid dragged her to the gym for a break sometimes and both sat down to help her with her work. Hiccup understood the intricate formulas and so he could work through those with her, while Astrid did things like look up exam questions and find the pertinent points for answers, or made flash cards of keywords for Lillian to define.

They gave her space when she needed to do her dissertation, though she wasn't the type to need _absolute silence_ all the time so they could go about life nearby so long as they let her work in peace.

"Thank you, both of you."

Lillian sighed as she settled on the sofa, immediately hugged by Astrid.

"For what?"

"I know I can't be easy to deal with, and you guys are honestly keeping me sane right now. I don't know what I'd do without you. Either of you."

Astrid smiled at her sister, nuzzling her cheek until Lillian giggled. Hiccup felt his heart swell with love just watching them, one instinctively knowing what the other needed to make them smile. He had yet to lose that sense of feeling incredibly lucky they'd chosen to invite him in, that they'd navigated all those early tricky bits of the relationship to reach this comfortable, settled state. They spent more nights all together than not, a good warm up to living together in a few months time really.

"We know how hard you're working Lils. You're doing great. I'm so proud of you, you massive nerd."

As if to punctuate her point, Astrid licked Lillian's cheek and grinned unapologetically as her sister protested, wiping at her face.

"You're so gross!"

"And you're weird. We exchange bodily fluids on a very regular basis, but a tongue on your face is too much?"

Chuckling at the pair, Hiccup reached for his drink, taking a swallow while they playfully bickered back and forth. It almost always dissolved into playfights or tickle fights, the twins taking pretty much any reason to touch each other really and there were always giggles and swearing, struggling to gain advantage. Astrid was a little stronger, but Lillian pressed every advantage she knew and Hiccup found them highly entertaining.

Astrid came out on top, successfully pinning Lillian at last with a triumphant cry, claiming victory kisses from pouting lips. Hiccup imagined things may well have escalated, but the timer to remind him to check on dinner interrupted them and Astrid was distracted by the thought of food, though Hiccup was aware she could also be distracted from food by sex. While dinner went down as they relaxed in front of the TV for a bit, Astrid sat playing with Lillian's hair, braiding it loosely before undoing her work and starting over. It often made her sister sleepy, leaving Lillian pliant and soft in Astrid's lap.

She let out a groan of discontent after a little while, trying to sit up and being pulled back down by Astrid.

"I need to studyyyyy."

"A few hours won't hurt. Stay."

Reluctantly sighing, Lillian settled down again. Astrid smiled, continued stroking her hair until the soft, lazy state returned. She winked over her sisters half-asleep form at Hiccup, clearly pleased with herself for getting Lillian to take a break. Lillian managed to wriggle free for an hours reading before bed, but she was definitely less stressed out than before about it and settled down to sleep quite easily, content in her spot between Hiccup and Astrid, though in winter there was more huddling for warmth and Hiccup woke quite often to her fidgety self all but completely draped over his chest. He didn't really mind; it was sweet to see and he didn't struggle to fall back to sleep.

Lillian's work ethic was already starting to pay off though - she had a conditional job offer for after graduation, which also helped narrow down the sort of area they would need to look at moving to, somewhere between Hiccup's possible university and her workplace. Astrid was happy to leave it at those two parameters - she could find work anywhere there were gyms, really, so if she had to quit her current place it wasn't the end of the world. Hiccup realised they were really heading into proper adult relationship territory - not that they hadn't talked about grown up things like kids and living together before, but now a time where they shared bills and might have to explain their living situation to people was very close to happening.

-HTTYD-

 **You're growing up Hiccup! And doing a much better job of it than me, luckily.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30? Eeesh! This story has come such a long way from where it started, and where I originally planned it to end... but! It's been a fun ride, and we come closer to the end with this.**

 **(Spectrer - are you suggesting I can only write a seasonal chapter at the right time of year? Cus you'd have been waiting _seven months_ for an update that way...)**

-HTTYD-

"Hot damn, we should find excuses for you to wear that more often."

"I completely agree."

Astrid and Lillian both looked Hiccup up and down, admiring the suit he had on. Between working as a mechanic and no recent family weddings, Hiccup didn't often have cause to wear anything 'smart'. But it was Lillian's graduation, and it had been tricky enough to even manage to get all four of her extra invites - the standard two had unfortunately gone to Mr and Mrs Hofferson, but a few of Lillian's friends who weren't inviting anybody had offered her theirs so that Hiccup, Astrid and his parents could also go.

Lillian had been initially stunned that they _wanted_ to, but both had enthused how proud they were of Lillian, how honoured they would be to be there for her. Hiccup was so very proud of his parents just then, especially when they didn't comment on the fact Lillian was clearly on the verge of tears. He might have been incredibly angry that such a supportive parental gesture was so alien to her, but Hiccup was also ever more determined that neither of the twins would ever have to feel that way soon, and glad for his own parents all but adopting his girlfriends with no questions asked.

"Shouldn't we get going? You have a funny hat and a line to get in."

"Yeah, I guess so. I hope mom doesn't make a scene about you guys coming."

"We're not even sitting near them Lils, relax. You're gonna go show off that you got the top level or grades or whatever they call it to make it sound fancy, obviously, then Hiccup's parents are going to get us drunk and we can celebrate never having to speak to our parents again."

Hiccup didn't fail to notice that Astrid had also dressed up for the occasion, and she looked incredible. When he commented that he didn't realise Astrid owned a dress like that, her response was amusingly predictable.

"I don't. I borrowed it from Lils."

Lillian would be wearing the standard gown and mortarboard, which Astrid had already promised not to tease her about. Hiccup knew how thrilled Astrid was they'd reached this point, ready to be _done_ and on to the next phase of their lives.

"Right, let's get going. Are your parents meeting us there?"

"Yeah, dad already said he'd pick mom up on the way, save us having three cars between five of us there when parking is already going to be a nightmare."

"All the more reason to haul that cute butt outta here. You too Hiccup."

Chuckling at Astrid's broad, playful grin, Hiccup grabbed his phone and car keys from the side, and then they were heading off. Astrid kept Lillian in fits of giggles in the back seat, preventing her sister from stressing out too much about enduring the Hofferson parents. They weren't the earliest, but at least there were available parking spots and Hiccup really didn't need to try hard to spot his own parents in the crowd - both stood head and shoulders above almost everyone around them.

"Look who finally turned up to her own graduation!"

"Sorry, Astrid was busy drooling over a suited up Hiccup."

"Right, cus you totally weren't doing the exact same thing?"

His parents laughed as Lillian pointed where they needed to go, then said a speedy goodbye and dashed off to get into her graduation attire and probably some kind of very long line.

"Hey, this'll be you in a few years."

"Yeah. Unless I crash and burn. Or we let you cook."

"Hey!"

Astrid pouted, perking up when Hiccup leant down and kissed her. Valka laughed along with their giggling as they headed off to get seated, waiting in line with their little invite things - they'd had to call ahead and make sure there was a chair big enough for his beefy dad.

"Astrid?"

He felt her tense up, saw her close her eyes and let out a breath before she turned to her parents, who gave both Hiccup and Astrid disdainful looks. He'd only encountered Mr Hofferson _once,_ and Hiccup had never been keen to repeat the experience. He was as horrid as his wife, just quieter.

"Mom, dad."

"I hardly recognised you, you're dressed properly for once."

"Yeah. I had to borrow the dress from Lils."

Hiccup squeezed her hand in reassurance, acutely aware of their scrutiny on him now.

"You look slightly more presentable than usual."

He could practically hear the wind move as his parents whipped around, glaring intently at the newcomers.

"Mind how you speak to my son!"

Mrs Hofferson was quickly taken aback by the presence of the two behind he and Astrid, and he _saw_ Mr Hofferson do a double take at the size of his father. Most people did, in fairness.

"Your son? What on earth are you doing here with these two?"

"They're here for Lils. Why else?"

The line moved and the people behind he and Astrid nudged the Hofferson parents aside, a huff of displeasure and the distinct sense of _this isn't over_ in their eyes before Astrid's parents realised they had better join the queue before it got any longer.

"Who was that?"

"My parents."

Astrid mumbled before wrapping her arms around Hiccup, sighing. He hugged her back, rubbing his hand up and down soothingly. His parents offered Astrid's back a sympathetic look, then glared toward the end of the line.

"I'm amazed they bothered to turn up."

Hiccup bit back a laugh at his mothers snippy tone - she knew the twins didn't get on with their parents, at all, and wasn't about to let Astrid feel like she had to make nice.

"Well, they've paid for Lils' tuition so they want to make certain she didn't secretly fail, even though they get copies of all her results and stuff anyway."

Astrid stayed squished tight to his chest, shuffle-steps along the queue until they were almost about to be let in, directed to seats a whole stand away from the Hofferson parents - it wasn't tough to spot their seats, with the heavy duty chair on the end that said _Reserved._

"Gee, I wonder which one is for dad."

"It's clearly that tiny one at the back."

Astrid quipped, grinning as they headed over. The two younger were sat between Valka and Stoick, and Hiccup swelled with love when he saw his mother give Astrid an affectionate squeeze around the shoulders.

"We're gonna be here a while by the looks of it" Hiccup noticed, the stands still fairly empty as people began to file in "I wonder how many will be late."

They chatted as they waited, the seats filling around them until the general hum of conversation filled the air and people who'd been there a while began to get antsy with the waiting in seats with not a lot of space for stretching. But eventually, there was a member of staff looking tired and relieved the academic year was about to be done with, shuffles at the side drawing a little attention to where the students were being shuffled into what he presumed was alphabetical order - he couldn't see Lillian, anyway.

"This is gonna be soooo boring. What's wrong with cheering? It's not like I'm gonna take my clothes off and run naked across the stage."

Astrid pouted, crossing her arms. Trying not to laugh at his parents bemused expressions, Hiccup shook his head.

"I... have no answer for that."

"Besides, it completely ruins the fun of us looking the same. Let the crowds get confused that there's two of us like you did."

Hiccup rolled his eyes as he heard both his parents snorting with amusement then, but couldn't really stay irritated with Astrid's bright smile and sparkling eyes as she intentionally tried to tease him about the early days of their relationship. He'd never envisioned _this_ when he met that feral blonde in the club that night.

And now he couldn't imagine life without either twin.

"Oh, I think we had better be quiet now, he's glaring at people for talking."

They fell silent and leader man began talking, other people coming along to make small speeches too - Hiccup tried to pay attention, he did, but it was very boring and Astrid kept poking him in the side to try and make him yelp.

He had cramp in one leg by the time they reached Lillian's line, and Astrid was visibly bored until she saw her sister. Lillian didn't take long to look toward them, and that was all it took for Astrid to relax a little more, patiently excited to see her graduate at last. It was such a big deal for them - the end of them having to deal with the woman who had sought to destroy Astrid and Lillian's relationship, who'd treated Astrid terribly for not being 'normal' over and over. Even the paying Lillian's tuition had carried a sense of _controlling_ her with it, using it as a crowbar to force her way back into Lillian's life whenever she felt like it.

They watched and clapped more enthusiastically when Lillian crossed the stage, and as soon as Lillian disappeared from sight at the other end of the stage Astrid completely lost interest. 'Hofferson' wasn't exactly far into the alphabet, but when she remembered they were leaving once the next group were done to clear the space for the next lot.

She all but leapt from her seat - and almost into his dads lap - in her enthusiasm as soon as it was clear they could move, immediately trying to work out the quickest way to get near Lillian again. They were chivvied by attendants toward something of a reception area, where there was food and (was that wise?) alcohol, and a door to the professional photographer. Hiccup's first awareness Lillian was back was the body that leapt on his back in greeting.

"Hey!"

He turned, found Lillian beaming at he and Astrid.

"Hey! Have you been for your photo yet?"

"Not yet, my slot is in... like 10 minutes. So I can't risk eating anything yet, in case I ruin this gown. Which sucks, cus I'm hungry."

"Ten minutes and you can return your gown and have an eating contest with Astrid for all anyone cares."

Lillian nodded, still smiling as she hugged Astrid before being hugged by Hiccup's parents, congratulated on her top marks. She'd disappeared - dragging Astrid with her - for the photo op before _her_ parents caught up to them, and Hiccup could physically _feel_ their disdain when they approached him to enquire as to the location of their daughter. Just Lillian, that was.

"She's getting her photos done."

She huffed and turned away, frog-marching her husband toward the other end of the room.

"Horrid woman."

Valka muttered under her breath, and Hiccup _saw_ Mrs Hofferson stiffen, knew she'd probably heard but opted not to turn and acknowledge them again. He nibbled on some less than amazing biscuits to pass the time, brushing crumbs off of his suit. Astrid and Lillian finally reappeared, Lillian already making to take off her gown before Hiccup was surprised by his mother stopping her.

"What?"

"I want a picture of the three of you, and if you take that off only Hiccup will be able to tell you apart!"

Hiccup groaned internally - he _hated_ photos - but acquiesced, because it was a nice memory to have and he wore a suit on average every two years, so it was as good a time as any. Astrid stole Lillian's mortarboard before they stood either side of him, pulling faces and laughing as the camera snapped away a few times, capturing more candid snapshots of graduation day.

"So is _this_ the mystery boyfriend you never spilled the deets on?"

They were barely done before Lillian was accosted by a friend, who was looking Hiccup over speculatively. Lillian glanced toward her parents who had noticed them and were coming back, then back at Hiccup before nodding with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah it is."

She stretched up and kissed him, and Hiccup definitely heard a gasp but paid it little mind for the moment.

"Hey, he's cute! Why the secrecy?"

"What's wrong with a little privacy Natalie, really?"

Before Natalie could answer, they were interrupted by a voice none wanted to hear.

"Lillian Grace Hofferson, you had better explain yourself."

She was quiet for a minute, then handed her diploma over to Astrid and pulled off her graduation gown.

"Alright. I've been dating Hiccup too, for as long as Astrid has."

Give or take a few weeks... although it depended what they counted as dating, Hiccup mused. Mrs Hofferson turned an interesting shade of white, closely followed by an almost alarming shade of red.

"We did not invest in your future for you to throw it away on abnormal behaviour like this, nor let you be wasted on this unsavoury man!"

"I've warned you once, I won't warn you again about how you talk about _my_ son."

As his family were so ridiculously tall, Valka towered over Mrs Hofferson and with the added irritation becoming anger, her presence seemed even bigger.

"Are you proud to have raised such a deviant?"

"Just because you have no respect for your children doesn't-"

"How dare you! How I treat my children is none of your concern, and this has nothing to do with you!"

People were starting to stare. It didn't really surprise him - they'd been drawing attention already with Lillian's friends finding out about her mystery lover.

"Will you shut up mom? You're making a scene and it's Lils' graduation!"

Astrid was losing her patience, he could tell. After a little more posturing, Mrs Hofferson appeared to back down. For decorum, he was certain. Astrid glanced around at the people watching.

"Nothing to see here, as you were!"

Mumbling and mollified, most looked away. Lillian took her rented attire back, then rejoined the four of them.

"Look, I have plans to see my friends in a few days. Unless you have a burning urge to stay, I'm happy to get out of here."

"Hey, it's your day Lils."

They stopped outside so Lillian could say goodbye to her friends, and Hiccup saw his dad move away from the noise a little to make a phone call - he knew what for. Before they could debate whether or not the twins ought to say goodbye to their parents in person, they were saved the trouble by said parents appearing.

"Lillian! This behaviour is completely unacceptable."

"So? You've been saying that to Astrid for twelve years."

Hiccup's mother wasn't far, sliding her arms around Lillian and Astrid.

"Come on kids, let's go."

"Look, I don't know who you _think_ you are, but just because _you_ failed to raise a respectable young man does not give you the right to-"

Before anyone could actually predict what was about to happen, Valka turned around and punched Mrs Hofferson in the face. She staggered in shock, clutching her jaw.

"I said I wouldn't warn you again. I've written murderous villains with more redeeming qualities than you, and I refuse to either listen to you insult my son or watch you fail to recognise how wonderful your own children are for another minute."

They left before anything more dramatic could happen, but once they reached a spot the crowds thinned, Hiccup saw his mothet clutching her hand to her chest, rubbing it with her other.

"That was..."

"Incredibly satisfying to watch!"

Astrid cut him off, and Lillian nodded in agreement.

"Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful."

"It wasn't exactly stellar behaviour, I must admit."

"Ah Val, if we weren't divorced I would've proposed!"

They shared laughs, only parting when they had to because of seperate cars.

"See you there?"

"Yep. Be careful with your hand, it's probably amazing you didn't break anything."

It was probably also lucky some form of security hadn't turned up to escort them out... Hiccup got into the drivers seat as the twins scrambled into the back, saw them sharing a loaded look in the rearview mirror.

"I hope she doesn't get arrested, because I genuinely and officially love your mother now. That was an absolute highlight of my life!"

"Yeah. I got what I went for, and it'll be a fun story to tell my uni friends when I see them next. Where are we going?"

Hiccup grinned.

"You'll see."

"That sounds ominous."

"It's not."

He drove, already knowing where he was going and excited to get there, to leave the unpleasantness of Mrs Hofferson behind them. The journey wasn't too long, and he felt much more comfortable after having taken off his jacket and tie. Formal attire would never be _him,_ he was too much a fan of comfort and practicality. They continued to enthuse about the whole punching incident in between bugging Hiccup for information the whole way there, though thankfully neither did anything that would risk his focus on the road.

Finally, they pulled up near an array of other cars, somewhere the twins had only visited once or twice in the year or so they'd been dating Hiccup. He could smell barbecued meat and spilled beer, could hear voices and see the _Congraulations_ banner across the door. Taking both girlfriends hands, Hiccup led them through.

"What is this?"

Lillian looked around at the group of people, the very clear _party_ vibe.

"What's it look like? It's a _family_ celebration for your graduation."

-HTTYD-

 **Honestly the scene on paper didn't do nearly as much justice to it, damn inability to transfer thoughts to writing reliably.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Valka and her fist appreciate all the support!**

 **WithinTheMadness - it was a _little_ more organised than that, but I do like the headcanon!**

-HTTYD-

"Your family threw a party cus I graduated?"

"Nope. _Our_ family did. Now come on, everyones waiting to be allowed cake!"

Hiccup grabbed their hands and pulled them along, everyone cheering when they caught sight of the newcomers.

"Took you long enough!"

Astrid shrugged, gesturing between herself and Lillian.

"In our defence, we didn't know this was happening."

"Well duh!"

"Would have been a _terrible_ surprise party if you knew about it!"

The only other twins at the party commented, already clearly a couple of bottles of that over-strong alcohol down by the faintly glazed look of their eyes, but the atmopshere was jovial and happy all around.

"Can we have cake yet?"

"Calm down Magnus! The girls just got here!"

Grumbling at Stoick, one of Hiccup's many cousins or uncles or... somethings, acquiesced before Hiccup nudged them both.

"There's spare clothes in the house if you two wanna change, I know you're not big on formal get up."

"Sure, but should we let them have cake first? Why do we need to be here for that anyway?"

Hiccup pointed at the table, where a frankly _ridiculously_ big cake with an iced diploma and mortarboard sat on the top, with a congratulations to Lillian iced along the side.

"So you can see it and get first pick of which bit you want, obviously."

After giggles and photos and a ceremonial-ish cake cutting, the three of them headed into the nearby residence to change while everyone else got stuck into the cake at last. Hiccup had brought jeans and tops for all three of them, comfortable and casual as everybody else there. All three tops were his, which Astrid thought spoke volumes about how often they stole his clothes. He'd even brought more comfortable shoes, their formal attire folded up and taken out to the car to drive home with later.

"Better?"

"Much! Now lets go eat."

The last time they'd been at a similar party, it was the first time they were meeting most of Hiccup's relatives. But there had been the Yule celebrations since then, and between that and time and visits... they knew most of the people there at least a little better, and the general sense of acceptance was stronger than ever. And by how everyone congratulated Lillian, enthusing that _someone in their family_ \- their own words - had graduated university was a big deal.

"We're a family of trades, everyones a builder or plumber or mechanic, we work with our hands."

"So Astrid fits right in already?"

Hiccup nodded, smiling as the two of them hugged either side of him, watching Magnus and Seamus have some kind of probably-hazardous drinking competition.

"Well yeah, but in case you hadn't noticed everyone thinks you fit in too."

Cake and alcohol later, Astrid thought Lillian looked simply adorable with the flush on her cheeks and the smile on her face. As he was driving, Hiccup wasn't drinking, and so Astrid had tasked him with ensuring she didn't get so drunk she forgot not to jump Lillian in public. It was increasingly difficult with her looking so cute and giggly, icing smudged on her lower lip _oh_ so tempting.

"Hey aunt Valka, what did you do to your hand?"

Someone spotted the bruising coming up on her knuckles, and Astrid couldn't resist.

"She punched our mom in the face."

"What, really?"

"Yeah. She deserved it."

"Alright! Go aunt Valka!"

Valka shook her head as there were actual cheers and congratulations, and Astrid realised they'd just taken it at face value that the twins agreed with their own mother being hit square in the jaw. Nobody asked what she'd done. Nobody asked why the twins felt that way about her.

They just... accepted it.

"Hey!" Astrid found herself with a Lillian hanging around her neck, beaming "whats up?"

"Nothing."

Lillian gave her the look - the don't-lie-to-me-we're-twins look.

"C'mon, what's up?"

"Seriously, I'm fine. Just having that weird moment of realisation that _this_ is our life now. We came out the other side of everything with mom, yanno?"

Lillian looked behind her, one arm still around Astrid.

"Yeah, it's crazy. But it's awesome. I'd choose this motley crew any day."

Astrid nodded, smiling as Lillian hugged her close, kissed her cheek. They weren't the only twins there, so there was a degree of physical contact nobody questioned, and the whole lot of them were quite tactile, ruffling hair or throwing arms around shoulders and laughing. Astrid restrained herself from following with more - there would be time for that later, they were there to celebrate with... their family.

Her family had just been Lillian for _so long_ now. Astrid almost felt overwhelmed by the fact they had a new one. Hiccup wrapped an arm around her, kissed Astrid's hair and spoke soft, soothing words, waiting for her to relax.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Want to go battle for food?"

"Sounds good!"

Grinning, Hiccup took her hand and led her toward where burgers and brawny relatives congregated, managing to extract sustenance for themselves and escape before there was a fight for it.

She noticed Hiccup watching her after they'd finished, just looking serene and relaxed.

"What?"

"You. This. I'm just... incredibly happy."

"I should think so!"

She glowed inside all the same, let Hiccup pull her in for a hug that Lillian quickly spotted and invited herself in to. Hiccup didn't really seem to mind.

"How long before its not rude to leave the party that was thrown for you?"

Hiccup chuckled, looking at the time.

"A few people will have to start heading home in about an hour, why?"

Lillian grinned.

"I'm in a celebratory mood."

"Then we can join in the leaving in an hour?"

Feigning dismay at having to wait, Lillian agreed that was fine and the next hour was happily spent chatting with several people they might not see again until Samhain, which would come after they'd moved in together - with Lillian working in a lab and Hiccup going to university, a whole new chapter of their lives opening up now Lillian had walked across that stage and ended the old one.

Still a little giggly-tipsy as they headed off - many hugs and well-wishes dispensed along the way - Lillian seemed to sober up once they were in the car to head home.

"S'up Lils?"

"Oh, nothing really. Just... weird having so many people say they're proud of me. And _meaning_ it."

Hiccup turned around, smiling at them both.

"That was all genuine. When a couple of people heard you were graduating soon, everyone was all for celebrating. I know I say they don't need much excuse to get together and drink, but a bunch of people rearranged other plans _just_ to come today. This is your family now, and this is what family is _supposed_ to be like."

"I get it. It's just gonna take some getting used to, for both of us."

Hiccup nodded, offering a reassuring smile.

"Well, you'll get a lot of chances to get used to it."

He had a point, Astrid smiled to herself. They would.

But first, there was an increasingly pressing need to drag them both to bed. Hiccup sent them ahead while he put his suit back in its suit bag, so he could take it to be laundered properly at some point. Astrid pulled Lillian down to the bed with no hesitation, grinning when she was straddled by her tipsy twin, Lillian back in her smiley, giggly state again.

"We did it."

"We really did. Well, _you_ did it Lils."

Lillian shook her head, leaning down and nuzzling Astrid sweetly.

"I couldn't have done it without you. Or that dork behind me."

"Hey!"

She twisted around, grinning at Hiccup.

"Hey, it's ok. You're _our_ dork, now get your butt over here."

Chuckling, Hiccup joined the two on the bed, taking kisses from Lillian and Astrid in turn before leaning back with a grin on his face as he watched the two of them. Clothes were soon tossed aside in favour of bare skin, Lillian squirming breathlessly as Astrid tickled her playfully until she begged for mercy.

"You're so mean to me!"

"Hey, it's not my fault you're cute when you laugh."

Lillian rolled her eyes but drew Astrid back down to kiss her, the hand not tangling in Astrid's hair reaching for Hiccup nearby. There weren't words to describe how incredible Hiccup was, especially over the last few months. Supportive, strong, sweet, sensitive... Astrid still couldn't believe how they had lucked out so well with him.

And that was _before_ she even included he was ridiculously good in bed. _And_ he cooked. Seriously, Hiccup had no business being so bloody brilliant, but Astrid wasn't about to complain.

Out of nowhere, Lillian burst into giggles, confusing both Hiccup and Astrid for a minute as she struggled to compose herself enough to catch her breath and presumably explain what it was that was so damn funny.

"Hey! What's the joke?"

Astrid poked her in the hip, indignation quieting laughter for a minute.

"Hey! No need for violence!"

"I will tickle you again. Spill!"

Lillian glared, but her expression soon faded to a smile.

"I had this daft thought of how Hiccup's family have basically adopted us, and then my brain went 'well talk about keeping it in the family', and then realised how _that_ ship sailed a long time ago."

Astrid and Hiccup joined in laughing then, all three sharing amusement for several minutes before Astrid remembered they were all naked and there was more fun to be had. Hiccup was most agreeable about joining Astrid in celebrating Lillian, her sister soon moaning and squirming between the two of them as they touched her. Astrid loved to watch her, feeling soft wetness clench around her fingers as Lillian arched and panted, wide-eyed and increasingly, beautifully needy with each building sensation.

They worked her up repeatedly, backing off before she came until Lillian was flushed a lovely shade of pink, biting her lip and _growling_ when they slowed again. Hiccup was happy to take over the torment, allowing Astrid to watch as Lillian wrapped herself around Hiccup eagerly, gasping against his mouth as he filled her at last.

Astrid liked to be very active, playfighting for who was on top and getting handsy - and bite-y, quite often - and while Lillian was by no means passive, she was more the type to bury her hands in Hiccup's hair, holding his gaze as they observed the others face, took in the way their features displayed raw emotions as they urged each other to the edge. His low groans and her sweet mewls were sounds Astrid would never tire of hearing, her own fingers running across her lower belly as the arousing image she saw had her increasingly desperate to get off somehow.

Their combined efforts had Lillian already close before she had Hiccup on top of her, and so Astrid was gifted with the sight of her twin burying her face in Hiccup's neck, fingers tightening on his back with a low whimper soon after. Hiccup slowed, grinning as he watched her pant and shake before relaxing beneath him with a satisfied flush across her smiling face. She ran a hand over Hiccup's chest, then nudged him with a head tilt toward Astrid.

"Hope you're not done yet."

Hiccup chuckled, leaning down to kiss Lillian before he moved.

"Between the two of you, I am simultaneously never done and _always done."_

Shaking her head with a fond laugh, Lillian shifted to lie more comfortably as Astrid happily jumped at Hiccup, both more than a little hot from Lils alone even before they were kissing, groping, pressing against each other. Astrid pushed him away just enough to twist under him, eager for what was undoubtedly her favourite Hiccup-position... well, maybe joint first with riding him.

Hiccup took the shift in stride, leaning down and leaving playful nips across the back of her shoulders, using his knees to widen her legs before he settled against her, hand brushing skin as he guided himself. Astrid hummed as he laid against her back, breath hitching when she squeezed teasingly at him. There was just _something_ about Hiccup wrapped around her back like that, something in the way he seemed to fill her completely, the way she felt the heat of him inside and out. Hiccup huffed, letting out lovely little grunts and groans against her hair as he thrust, the fingers of his hand not braced for balance lacing with hers against the bed.

He shifted his legs, each thrust feeling like it knocked the breath clean out of her. Astrid gripped his hand tighter, tipped her head to the side and moaned happily when Hiccup took the hint, latching on to her neck and leaving a mark that ached, a dull throb Astrid _loved_ the gentle pain of.

Lillian moved to lie near them, catching Astrid's mouth with her own before hungry eyes ran down her back, watching where Hiccup pushed into her over and over. Back when they first met Hiccup, even Astrid's wildest imagination could not have predicted - or rather _dared to hope_ for - the way they fit now, the natural ease with which their lives had come together and formed their little happy triad. She couldn't have foreseen being free of guilt and loss as she ached for her sister, or that her determination to push Hiccup and Lillian together - so she was satisfied her sister was with somebody who would treat her right in Astrid's stead - would backfire so completely, and so _brilliantly._

Astrid couldn't believe that their perfectly matched set up had happened completely by accident, and the fact they all wanted it to be a permanent, life-long thing that all three were committed to making work... it was a dizzying, wonderful prospect.

The mind-melting sex certainly didn't hurt either.

She didn't really register who broke first, only that her body was shaking as Hiccup's hips jerked, that she was wet with both his and her own climax and that Hiccup was heavier against her back than he was a minute ago. His arms slid around her as he rolled onto his side, pulling Astrid with him in a sweaty, lazy cuddle they both gestured for Lillian to come join in on.

"I suggest that when I am no longer covered in twins" both of them rolled their eyes at Hiccup, but Astrid knew she and Lils were sharing a smile too "we go get drinks and snacks and then come back to bed."

"So we don't have to leave again?"

"Exactly!"

Seeing the merit in Hiccup's plan, the twins eagerly agreed.

-HTTYD-

 **Like, I doubt you guys will mind, but I'm revising original end point of 35 chapters to 40, because I just do _not_ have the energy right now to wrap the story up the way I planned.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Celestialfyxen - I debated ignoring you entirely, because you're clearly a stuck up ass. But since you said you wanted clarification, fine.**

 **Yes, their relationship has changed - it's gone from a one night stand to a long term relationship, comparing the two is comparing chalk to cheese, they're completely different. You've simultaneously commented that the twins chemistry is perfect, then complained that Lillian didn't appear to read her sister very well. Which is it? You're also comparing the ways in which Astrid and Lillian express their feelings, which is pointless - they are _different people,_ with a different love language each. Your 'feedback' was clearly an exercise in caring more for the 'brutal' than the 'honesty' of brutal honesty, and your comment about Open was just adding insult to injury. **

**If you really worked in Psychology (I studied Psychology too!) then you would know how important words are, how to phrase things. Honestly, you come across as someone brimming with bile and prejudice who thinks I should appreciate your criticism when I damn well never asked for it. I am crippled with depression, writing is what I do for _fun_ and your assassination of it was unwelcome, to put it politely. I don't care what you would want when writing. If it's not asked for, don't criticise. **

**And politely fuck off.**

 **Still on hiatus, but I've completed a few things and like to reward kindness and patience.**

-HTTYD-

"I can't believe you're leaving me! I thought we meant something to each other!"

"Eret, stop being so dramatic."

Hiccup rolled his eyes as he leant over the engine, trying to fish out the bit that had just fallen from his greasy grip. Why did people _never_ clean their engines?

"Aww c'mon Hiccup! If I'm not dramatic, how will you know that I will miss you?"

"I will miss you too, but this place is too far out to consider as well as Lillian's new job _and_ my university."

"And that's another thing!" Eret exclaimed, straightening up with tool in hand "how dare you date two women and not tell me!"

He rolled his eyes again. There was a _reason_ he hadn't told Eret for a while, and it was precisely because he knew his workmate would never leave the topic alone, ever again. And there were some questions Hiccup did just not want asked. Retrieving the lost cap, Hiccup straightened up himself.

"I didn't realise you needed every detail of my dating life."

"When it involves you dating identical twins, I need _every detail._ "

Shaking his head, Hiccup grabbed some rags to clean up his work space and hoped nobody was listening in to Eret's loud mouth.

"Well, tough. This is why I didn't tell you, because I'd never get anything done ever again."

Eret stuck his tongue out, then quickly attempted to look busy when their boss glanced their way. He was already in a bad mood - Hiccup's plan prior to meeting the twins had been to stay in the same garage alongside his university work, but his life had taken many turns over the last year or so, and so Hiccup was leaving his job, meaning said boss was irate that he would have to find someone with the same skill set and work ethic as Hiccup. Apparently, he was a rare breed.

"You're no fun. So. What _is_ it like?"

"No different to dating one woman. It's just about... respect, honesty, love."

"Ok, but the obvious question remains."

"Eret, if you go there I promise I will make you drink whatever comes out of this tank. Do you not think all _three_ of us are sick of those questions?"

He knew the 'sleeping arrangements' question was coming, and thankfully his family had more or less just gotten used to the relationship and stopped asking.

"Fine, fine. Spoilsport."

Grumbling to himself, Hiccup went back to work. He knew Eret was harmless, but _ridiculously_ nosy. Although admittedly, he would miss the tattooed man with the rogueish, incorrigible humour, who had made many an hour of work far less boring over the years.

"So, when do you leave?"

"As soon as my notice is up here, which is week after next. We officially move the day after, and that only gives us a little under two weeks to be done before I start university and Lillian starts her job. Astrid's already managed to transfer her job to another branch in the same chain of the gym she works at thats closer, so yeah. Full steam ahead."

And, as Hiccup's current home showed, it was _chaos_ at its finest. They had access to multiple men with large vehicles in the form of Hiccup's various relatives, so moving vans weren't needed, but as much of Lillian and Astrid's things had migrated to his place so everything was together, including the twins themselves, it was at that point where everything was a little tight and they were sometimes climbing over boxes to get places.

"I think we only need like one more trip to get everything from our place to here, so rest assured we will take up what little space is left."

"That's very helpful Astrid."

She grinned as she stretched up to kiss Hiccup in greeting, hair still damp at the ends suggesting she'd showered fairly recently.

"Hey, I get workouts at home now everything is an obstacle course. But it's not for long."

"I know. And I don't mind, honest, so long as I can get to all the important places. If you make it hazardous to get to the bathroom on purpose, we'll be having words."

Giggling, Astrid hugged him before shooing him along to change, yelling after him that she'd be in the kitchen with Lillian. Hiccup cleaned up and changed into comfortable clothes, then went in search of the twins in his kitchen. Lillian had a lot of free time now she was graduated and waiting to start work, and had essentially taken over his kitchen on the days he was working. Hiccup wasn't really complaining; Lillian could cook very well.

"Hey you" Lillian stepped away from the pan she was stirring, with a warning glare at a pouting Astrid before she kissed Hiccup "how was your day?"

"Tiring, repetitive. Glad to be home."

Squeezed around the middle by her too, Hiccup was left smiling as he watched her back to the cooker while Astrid crossed the room to take over cuddling Hiccup, smiling up at him and he could see the warmth and contentment in her face, knew he'd see the same mirrored in both her twins face and his own. They might be moving _house_ soon, but he knew _home_ was wherever they were.

* * *

It was handy they had a lot of help moving boxes really, Astrid decided. Otherwise they would have gotten very little done, because Lillian sweaty with exertion and her muscles tensed as they cradled a box of books... it was quite distracting. Hiccup poked her in the arm, jerking her out of another little reverie.

"Don't judge me!"

"I'm not, but _they_ might."

He nodded toward the other people there, and Astrid reluctantly admitted he was right and attempted to go pay attention to boxes. She'd be able to jump Lillian later... they had a whole new home to break in, after all. Astrid felt a pleasant quiver at the thought, resisting the urge to go mount Hiccup. People would probably notice.

Someone put in a massive order for pizza delivery while a couple of others scouted out a local store and returned with a mix of alcohol and soft drinks, and they sat outside on dust sheets to eat and drink in a mini-celebration of the new home. A few of the not-designated-drivers began to try outdoing each other with more and more outlandish toasts, until they were all in fits of laughter and Astrid was pretty sure their new neighbours already thought the lot of them quite mad.

By the time they were done, all three were too tired to do more than ensure there were breakfast things available and make one of the beds before they climbed into it to sleep heavily, but Astrid was so full of pizza and beer that she was more than fine with it.

Because she lived - _actually, properly lived with them now_ \- with more forward thinking people than herself, they'd packed in such a way that a few kitchen essentials had been easily accessible, and so breakfast was not made out of instant packets or anything microwaved. They sat around the table together eating porridge in three different colours - Astrid's chocolate, Lillian's blueberry and Hiccup's apple-cinnamon - and she smiled to herself at the fact they had officially spent their first night in the first place they really, properly lived together as a three.

"How long before we have to explain the twin thing to the neighbours?"

"Not long, probably. Unless you want to wait until they ask, but given the loud, drunk jokes last night, anyone listening probably has _some_ idea."

For the sake of appearances, they agreed to go sort out the second room, so there was at least the _chance_ to anyone looking in that there were two places to sleep, rather than only one option. It was unlikely to see much use, but they all also acknowledged that sometimes, people needed space. Especially since Hiccup was something of an introvert, and about to go back to university - he might need a quiet workspace, as would Lillian if she had to bring work home with her.

Astrid was fairly loose in her needs by relation - somewhere to do circuit training, somewhere to store her protein powder and a comfy bed to rest on. And her sister and boyfriend, but she definitely had them.

"There. Now nobody can prove a thing!"

She proclaimed dramatically before jumping onto the freshly made bed, stretching out along the covers. Both Hiccup and Lillian rolled their eyes.

"We _just_ made that!"

"And? Now it looks slept in. Come on, the sooner we're done unpacking the sooner we can get to breaking in every room."

Laughing in a mix of fondness and exasperation, Lillian leant down to help Astrid up and they got back to all the grown up boring stuff, Hiccup somehow able to understand the ridiculous IKEA flatpack instructions with only a minimum of swearing as he put together bookcases.

"Are we keeping these colours then?"

Not a sentence Astrid expected to ask, ever, but it came out of her mouth anyway.

"If you want to change them, we can soon."

"Why not now?"

"Well, one, we haven't been DIY shopping and the place needs to be liveable over pretty right now. And two, redecorating something is a tradition for Samhain. You... renovate as a way to release old things you don't need. It doesn't have to be physical things, it's all part of letting go of old hang ups, to reflect on the past year before focusing on the year ahead. So when it's almost Samhain, pick a room and we'll celebrate a renewing transformation."

Samhain wasn't that long away. Astrid was fine to wait a little if it meant something to Hiccup, and Lillian was nodding in agreement. They'd never been religious, nor especially spiritual, but Hiccup and his families traditions were warm and welcoming, and they were happy to learn.

Equally, Astrid was pretty certain that if she hated the colours the rooms were already, Hiccup wouldn't have _made_ them wait. But if it wasn't pressing, why not leave it for a little while? He had a point about practical over pretty for their living space at that time - they had very little time before jobs and education came back to demand hours of their days from them.

"Samhain works. I'm looking forward to hearing stories."

Hiccup smiled up at her, eyes bright and happy at the sound of her saying she was keen to be involved in more of the traditions they observed. Hopefully, traditions she and Lillian could observe too as they learned, since everyone thus far had insisted the twins were now part of the family.

As an executive decision so she could continue to 'misuse' the furniture, Astrid had made sure they bought a bunch of throw blankets for the sofas and chairs, because they were much easier to clean than the actual furniture itself. So when she opted to pull her lovers down to the sofa with her? Clean up wasn't much concern any longer. Neither had any protest, and Astrid was very glad of that fact as she relieved both Hiccup and Lillian of Hiccup's t-shirts, basking happily in the feeling of two bodies against her own, tasting two mouths, hearing her name and theirs on different tongues.

Hiccup's jeans were just opening at her fingertips when the door knocked, all three sharing "did _you_ invite someone?" looks with each other, but they weren't expecting anybody. Hiccup got up with a sigh, fixing his jeans and heading toward the door as the twins righted themselves before following. He was frowning through the peep hole when they caught up, eventually pulling the door open to someone unfamiliar.

"Uh, can I help you?"

It transpired to be their next door neighbour over to say hello (and gawk a little at the identical twins, Astrid heavily suspected), and so their afternoon tryst was delayed somewhat as they introduced themselves and got the usual wide-eyed surprise when they explained that yes, both of them were dating the same man and no, they didn't think it was weird. After finally getting rid of th- ah, after introductions were over and the door closed again, Hiccup mock-glanced at a watch he wasn't wearing.

"How long before we're that weird threesome everyone gossips about?"

"Honestly? I don't care. People can like us or suck my imaginary dick, now get your cute asses back on that sofa."

Chuckling, Astrid was glad to see both headed back through after being very rudely interrupted by friendly neighbours. Hiccup was in a particularly affectionate mood, all nuzzles and kisses and wandering hands, soft words and sweet "I love you" murmurs, his mood infectious and all three ended up in a giggly pile of cuddles, blonde hair Astrid wasn't entirely sure was her own sticking to the damp sweat on her skin as Hiccup kissed a slightly ticklish spot behind her jaw, making her squirm.

"Ok, so that's one room" Astrid mimed ticking something off a list in the air "but there's lots left!"

"Yes, but we do need to finish unpacking first before one of us trips and injures ourselves cus of boxes."

Astrid pouted, but conceded Lillian's point before kissing her. They had time to break in rooms over and over - they lived together now, no more back and forths between different homes, no more nights missing a piece of their puzzle.

She was still going to repaint that wall though.

-HTTYD-

 **Anyway, unpleasantness aside, enjoy some dorks!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Who wants more fluff?**

-HTTYD-

 _One day,_ Hiccup thought, _one day I won't have to do this._

"Yes. Both of them."

Starting university was thrilling and daunting and he was excited to be there, but it did mean introductions. He hadn't had to deal with a deluge of new people like it in years, and as he was a little older than most of the new students there, he already felt a touch out of place. Conversation naturally turned to relationships when a bunch of people in his Mechanical Engineering class all headed to get lunch together in a meet-and-greet after the first class, and as Hiccup felt no shame nor reason to lie, he told them about Astrid and Lillian. Well, he left _some_ parts out.

"How do you swing something like that?"

A couple of guys barely having turned eighteen asked, staring as though Hiccup held great wisdom rather than a mix of awkwardness and luck.

"It was an accident, honestly. I didn't realise they were twins when I met them."

There were laughs at his expense as Hiccup mentioned meeting one out with friends - he wasn't going to detail the _wild_ nights explicitly - and the other in a cafe, and pure chance meaning no names exchanged until he was seeing one of them.

"They _offered_ to share you?"

"It was a little more complicated than that, but yeah, basically. We've been dating well over a year now, and we live together. In a two bed place, obviously."

"Oh. So there's no..."

One of them made a lewd gesture, and Hiccup shook his head with a feigned look of shock-horror.

 _"No!_ None of that. Anyway, can we move on to someone else?"

Thankfully, they did move on. Hiccup doubted he'd heard the last of it, but he wasn't going to hide the happiest relationship he had ever had just because it meant explaining to gawking classmates. Heading _home_ to both of them was novel and exciting, seeing things like Lillian's perfectly placed work shoes near Astrid's kicked off trainers as he toed off his own and put them on the shoe rack before heading through to find them. Astrid was obviously recently back from work herself, protein shake in its bottle on the table as she flicked through a book .He caught sight of the cover - a book on paganism, something Astrid was keen to learn more about. She looked up from it, beaming grin taking over her face.

"Hey babe!"

She all but leapt on him, hugging Hiccup tight before kissing him in greeting. Hiccup smiled in return, amused by the taste of 'birthday cake' protein powder on her mouth. He supposed drinking them every day might get boring, but he wasn't sure _birthday cake_ was meant to be a liquid.

"Hey you."

"Hey you. How was your first proper day?"

"Fine. Except for being quizzed by people barely old enough to drive about dating identical twins."

Astrid snorted, laughing into his shoulder before pulling him to sit next to her on the sofa, slinging her legs over his lap with a grin.

"Well you don't have to go bragging about it yanno."

"Of course I do, I love you both so much and they saw a picture of you two as my screen saver and wanted to know if it was photoshop."

Still giggling, Astrid shook her head fondly.

"How long before the sex questions?"

"Oh, not even five minutes. Still took longer than my dad, I think."

"So you gave all the sordid details of our threesomes?"

"Absolutely. I even drew diagrams."

They'd reached a point they could joke about it with no concern from the twins that Hiccup _wasn't_ kidding, that their secret was well and truly safe with him, a while ago, but it wasn't often they actually met a bunch of new people and had to do the whole measured reveal thing.

Lillian appeared a few minutes later, hair still down after drying it post-shower and sweet-smelling when she hugged Hiccup to her before he continued to talk about his first proper class day.

"How's settling in at work going?"

"Good, good. Busy, but getting to grips with the lab and nobody is treating me like I got my degree by accident, so all round good."

Knocking back more of her shake, Astrid added on about her day too.

"Yeah. Couple of new people who just joined tried to give me the 'aww, look how tough she thinks she is' shtick, until I matched their leg press weights and threw in some upside down crunches after just to show off."

Astrid flexed her arm jokingly, then pouted when Hiccup asked to be let up so he could go grab a drink and a snack. He came back to see her having gotten comfy resting her head on Lillian's lap instead, and continued to read her book. Lillian was smiling at her, smile turned up toward Hiccup when he returned - Astrid kindly lifted her legs for him to sit beneath, but otherwise didn't move.

"Anything interesting?"

"Yeah, I'm reading up on Samhain now. Do people really carve turnips instead of pumpkins?"

"Yeah, in Europe mostly, then people who migrated over to America began doing them with pumpkins because that's what they had there. We do both, mostly for the younger ones but also because everyone _loves_ a pumpkin pie or twelve. Honestly, your insides are going to be orange after Samhain."

Hiccup couldn't word how he appreciated the twins efforts - they didn't _have_ to engage with his families observance of Pagan celebrations in any way, but they were invited and were actually, genuinely keen to learn and take part. They'd picked out a spot for the altar they would honour the dead upon, and Lillian had even asked if they could add a picture of their grandmother to it, which Hiccup was fine with. They'd done the DIY shop to get things like paint to decorate, but Astrid was happy to wait so it would coincide with Samhain even though he knew she _really_ didn't like the colour the living room was.

"A lot of these things are to do with marriage. Are we gonna burn nuts?"

"Uh, we _could,_ but I don't know if that was ever designed for polyamory, and we can't get married anyway."

The twins looked at each other, then up at Hiccup before looking back to each other."

"I hadn't even thought about that."

"Yeah, me either. We've talked about kids, but never marriage."

Astrid sat up, thinking face on.

" _Should_ we talk about that?"

Hiccup shrugged.

"For me, there's nothing to talk about. I can't marry both of you, and I'm not comfortable with the idea of putting legal name to only part of this, of us, so I just never thought to bring it up."

"What about..." Astrid opened the book in her lap again "handfasting? It wouldn't be a _legal_ thing, I guess, but could it incorporate all three of us?"

Scratching his chin, Hiccup hummed to himself.

"I don't know. I'd have to ask aunt Gothi, but... I don't see why not, especially as a spiritual commitment rather than a legal one. That is, if tying the knot is something you're both up for in the future?"

They shared a silent look before turning to Hiccup and nodding in sync.

"Not right now, but maybe we should see what Samhain has to say."

"Works for me. It's not like we have two sides of the family to appease anyway. Your lot is our lot now, after all."

Hiccup couldn't suppress the joyful smile that crossed his face at how easily Lillian said that, claimed his family as her and Astrid's own. It was _true,_ but still he liked to hear it.

"Good point. How do you ask your aunt Gothi anything? She doesn't talk."

"She speaks sign language when she needs to, and uncle Gobber can translate sign language pretty well. But most of us understand her usual gestures, and she can _hear_ fine."

"So why doesn't she speak?"

He shrugged.

"She just doesn't. Never really questioned it."

They chatted for a while before Hiccup started thinking about cooking, chuckling to himself at the child-like sign on the door that had two columns on it, one titled 'BANNED' with a doodle of Astrid and Valka each underneath, and then 'ALLOWED' with Hiccup, Lillian and Stoick beneath. Not that his dad was a _brilliant_ cook, but he had never set fire to the kitchen nor made anyone sick. Doodle-Astrid and Doodle-Lillian were of course, identical, but a little 'A' and 'L' had been placed next to their respective illustrated selves to be sure everyone knew.

Completely ignorant of the sign, Astrid entered the kitchen anyway after sticking her tongue out at it, which he found especially funny since _she'd_ been the one to draw it.

* * *

Lillian was very glad they'd read up on things in advance, so they weren't left confused by things like the empty seat at the table or the tradition to dine in silence. Of course, the absolute youngest were not quite _silent,_ but they were quiet and it allowed everyone the necessary reflection time.

They all sat around the big chair that Gothi perched upon, many of them cross-legged on the floor as she signed her stories out and Hiccup's uncle Gobber translated for her (with a few mistakes that got him _nudged_ with her staff to let him know), and Hiccup smiled when he saw Astrid and Lillian absorbing the stories of his ancestors. Lillian admitted to herself she'd often shied away from ever really thinking about death, but those around her actively remembered and respected their dead, even celebrated them long after they were gone.

There were already pumpkins and something they called 'neeps' that Hiccup translated to turnips carved and put outside when they first arrived, Hiccup in what he apparently donned most years - a bat costume, complete with wings that he could hook over his wrists to spread, while the twins were simply wearing black and got their faces painted when they got there alongside several others. Everything was decked in autumn colours and the smell of pumpkins and cinnamon and apple cider filled the air as they were greeted to their first Samhain.

She could see why it wasn't a traditional time to bring a newcomer in - Samhain itself had a more serious feel to the whole night than Yule had done, particularly when it came to honouring the dead, though they also celebrated with the party after the observance.

"Ready to get stuck in?"

"Do you mean that literally?"

Hiccup nodded, grinning as he dropped a pumpkin in front of the twins to get started on. Gutting the pumpkin was messy work, but they kept all the seeds and innards to be cooked the next day, while tonights food had been made from everyones individual pumpkins for their altars back in their own homes. Theirs didn't turn out the neatest, but Hiccup laughed and promised to hide it with the ones done by the younger family members and nobody would notice.

"Rude!"

"Hey, you'll get it. We've all had years of practice!"

He kissed them both before cuddling them with a smile, smelling like apple and pumpkin and joking that he needed bigger wings to wrap around them.

"I've never needed a snuggle-friendly Samhain outfit before! Anyway, want to come make an absolute fool of yourselves with us?"

"What are we doing?"

"Well there's dookin for apples, or trying to eat a bun blindfolded?"

A few of the elder members of the family were tending to the start of a bonfire as others began the earnest drinking, everyone offering a respectful berth to where the food and drink from their dinner was left as offering. There were two buckets for the apples - one for children, another for adults. Astrid gave Hiccup an incredibly suggestive look when he tied their hands behind their backs, and had them get right in to chasing the apples in the water. It was utterly ridiculous and harder than it looked, and the water was a little cold to just shove ones face in to, but it was also great fun and Lillian managed to beat Astrid to sinking her teeth into an apple.

Hiccup challenged his mother, and lost spectacularly to her but looked _adorable_ with his wet fringe stuck to his grinning face. And it had nothing on sugary buns and doughnuts suspended from tree branches, which the game was apparently to jump up and try to eat it with bound hands and a blindfold on. They gave it a go, and failed miserably but they were in fits of laughter by the time Tuffnut managed to finish both treats, before either Hofferson twin had managed more than a face covered in dusting sugar from near-misses.

"Hey, come on! It's tradition!"

Hiccup's cousin Scott pointed out, trying to push some nuts on him and pointing at the now roaring bonfire that washed everything in a lovely bright warmth.

"Yeah, for couples. I meant to ask aunt Gothi if we three could do it."

They _were_ given permission by Gothi to do it, the twins and Hiccup all tossing the nuts into the fire and waiting for the response. All three stayed together, the fire crackling on happily.

"Is that good?"

"Well, if there were two it would suggest we would stay together, and for some it also indicates a future wedding is on the cards."

Hiccup commented, offering Gothi another speculative look. She seemed deep in thought for a moment, tapping her wizened old fingers against her chin before nodding sagely and signing to Gobber.

"She says if you three are still together come next Samhain, she'd be happy to tie your knot."

Everyone's cheering and Hiccup's joyful smile spoke volumes of their response to the news, and they themselves had agreed to see what Samhain had to say of any future threeway marriage. The next Samhain would be over two years of them together, and since their relationship wasn't exactly 'typical', Lillian didn't see why it was unfair of Gothi to want to see it last before she agreed to perform any union for them.

"She's not saying she's gonna marry us next Samhain, right?"

Astrid raised an eyebrow, checking they hadn't just been given a wedding day of sorts.

"No no, just that if we're still together for the next time of renewal, she'll feel more comfortable performing it."

By the time midnight arrived, many were drunk and giggly and dancing terribly, Lillian had eaten far too much pumpkin-based food and was still eyeing up another slice of pie while Hiccup was... watching his mother arm wrestle his uncle. It looked like Valka was winning, too.

Eyes roaming in search of Astrid, Lillian found her and smiled fondly. Clearly having partaken in a little too much mulled wine and powerful ale, Astrid was fast asleep with a half-eaten cookie still in her hand as she dozed on the sofa next to a couple of sleeping kids tucked under blankets.

Hiccup snapped a photo on his phone, giggling as he leant into Lillian and kissed her cheek.

"I'm really happy you two are here."

"Me too. I'm sure Astrid would be too, if she was conscious."

He chuckled, nodding.

"Yeah, I agree."

"And you know Stoick and I already think of you two as family, but we completely support you making it official sometime."

Knowing Valka hadn't partaken in the Pagan rituals and celebrations herself before she married Stoick, Lillian was curious.

"Did you and Stoick get a handfasting?"

"Sort of. I had family who wanted the typical wedding, and so we combined it somewhat. I insisted on a fairly small ceremony as it was, and after the ceremony Gothi did tie our knot and we kept the cords. She also performed our handparting."

"And that's... the divorce, yeah?"

Valka nodded.

"It is. Handfastings focus on a couple, or in your case more, staying together as long as their _love_ lasts, not their life. Stoick and I were no longer _in_ love, and so we parted and stayed friends."

Hiccup was smiling softly as his mother spoke, not harmed by his parents seperation; they were better friends than lovers, and had still successfully co-parented for their sons sake until he was grown, and still got along just fine years later.

"So is there a 'traditional' time for them?"

"Depends who you ask. A lot of our lot have Beltane weddings because we're drawn to nature, but Irish pagans often would never dream of it unless it was the betrothal ceremony."

"And Beltane is...?"

"About halfway between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. It's the start of summer, May 1st. Why do you ask?"

Lillian smiled to herself.

"No reason."

-HTTYD-

 **Samhain is my favourite time of year! Even though I still cannot pronounce it.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34! Ah, I remember the days when this was planned to have 3 to 4 chapters... that was a long time ago now hahahaha.**

 **Redboat - not right now, they're not home enough to take adequate care of a new pet. But never say never!**

-HTTYD-

Frosty leaves crunched underfoot, winter air brisk to breathe but she found it refreshing, understanding even more than last year what Hiccup meant about appreciation for nature, for the cycles of the year that changed the colour on the trees and the views of fields.

"You weren't kidding about these boots being made to last, huh?"

"Nope, good huh?"

Astrid nodded, flexing her toes in their nice warm socks and comfy boots. They were gifts for Yule the year before from Stoick, and bore up very well under their long walks all the while. Hiccup found a spot he wanted to sit, sketchpad and pencil inside his coat coming out to sketch the view before him. She and Lillian sat nearby too, watching Hiccup draw. He was sweet to watch, face scrunching cutely in concentration, occasionally turning to throw his girlfriends a smile before his eyes went back to flicking between the view and the sketchpad.

"Done?"

"Yeah. What do you think?"

He turned the sketchpad to them, both nodding their approval.

"That's amazing!"

"Yeah, it is. You might as well have taken a black and white photo!"

Hiccup laughed, tucking his sketchbook away.

"Yeah, but you don't always appreciate things the same in a photo. When you draw, you put a little bit of yourself in it. C'mon, lets get home and have a hot chocolate."

Well, Astrid wasn't going to say no to that. Both Hiccup and Lillian made amazing hot chocolates, and Astrid was excited to get home, but enjoyed the rest of the walk back too. They waved to the neighbour who still did a little staring out of the window at the identical twins sharing a boyfriend, then the warmth of their happy little home washed over chilled cheeks and cold hands. Unwinding her scarf and taking off her hat first, Astrid spotted Lillian giving her the _look,_ the one that made her put her shoes and coat away properly rather than aim and hope for the best in her hurry to get in and find food.

Changed into his ludicrously fluffy slippers, Hiccup headed off to the kitchen. Astrid opted to change into pyjamas, because she _could,_ and Lillian dragged a couple of blankets down to the sofa. They snuggled up under the blankets, drinking hot chocolate and watching terrible TV, talking about the upcoming Yule.

"So tomorrow is cooking day, right?"

Hiccup nodded, looking rather cute with a little whipped cream on his nose.

"Yeah. Then the day after is getting together. Excited?"

Nodding along with Lillian, Astrid smiled.

"Absolutely! Last year was a lot of learning curve, this year we're a little more clued up on the pagan stuff, and it's not the first time we're meeting everyone."

"And we're very excited to be meeting your moms date."

Hiccup grinned. He'd kept shtum on the matter entirely, though _he_ had met the mystery man, approval of her son very important to Valka.

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to that too."

Astrid was very intrigued, but Hiccup gave no details. She was trying to work out what could be so dramatic, but they'd find out in a couple of days anyway.

Lillian yawned cutely, stretching her legs out under the blanket before burrowing into Hiccup's side, mumbling that she was sleepy after the walk, then the warmth and hot drink. Hiccup smiled fondly at her, chuckling to himself.

"You'll regret napping, it's almost time for dinner and you can have an early night after that if you want."

She grumbled.

"Sleeeeepy."

"Well, I'm moving. If Astrid wants to let you sleep, that's up to her."

Mewling in complaint, Lillian reluctantly moved off Hiccup so he could wriggle out from under the blankets, shivering slightly before he adjusted to being outside the toasty little bubble. Astrid poked her sister, trying to stir Lillian.

"Wake up!"

"Nooooooo. Sleepy."

Feeling it was cruel but resorting to desperate measures, Astrid yanked the blankets away and Lillian grumbled loudly.

"Hey!"

"Wakey wakey!"

Lillian pouted until Astrid relented and gave her the blanket back, unable to suppress a fond smile as Lillian burrowed under it and yawned, clearly lying down to take a nap. She was too adorable to disturb then, so Astrid crawled over, kissed her forehead before climbing up from the sofa to investigate what Hiccup was up to.

"She napping?"

"Yeah. She was too cute to say no to."

Laughing lightly, Hiccup wrapped his arm around her, kissed her temple.

"Understandable."

"Whatcha doing?"

"Checking if there's anything I have to risk the crazy Christmas shoppers for tonight so we can spend tomorrow cooking. Then dinner. There's biscuits in the tub if you need a sweet treat to tide you over."

"I knew there was a reason I loved you."

Hiccup laughed as Astrid grabbed a few biscuits, then perched on a stool while he checked the amassed supplies waiting to be turned into Yuletide treats. Last year they'd asked if they were even allowed to see the 'family' recipes, but twelve months on every one of Hiccup's relatives they encountered treated the twins like family.

The fact the twins had not heard off their own 'parents' since Lillian's graduation was icing on the cake. Astrid couldn't believe the weight that was lifted by that, the sense of _freedom_ and happiness that was possible, sometimes pinched herself to check it wasn't all a dream though each passing day she accepted it more and more.

Hel, there was talk amongst the family at Samhain about _marriage,_ tying to each other spiritually if not necessarily legally. Not a situation Astrid ever expected to find herself in, but again, she came around to the idea more and more each day.

Hiccup hummed as he moved around the kitchen, nodding to himself and comparing to a list written a few weeks previously.

"Are we good to go?"

"Yep! No risking the wrath of those who are _supposedly_ full of good will to all tonight."

"Good. Come here?"

Hiccup complied, face curious. Astrid wiped crumbs off her mouth, then pulled Hiccup down to kiss her. He still tasted sweet from the hot chocolate, letting out a little laugh when Astrid licked his lips. When Astrid let her hands slide down his chest and stomach to rest on the fastening of his jeans, she could have sworn he rolled his eyes at her - though even mild exasperation never stopped Hiccup indulging Astrid's enjoyment of furniture repurposing. Nor was he likely to be surprised by Astrid's quick shift to "up for it?", as it was a fairly common occurrence.

Her pyjama top soon landed on the kitchen floor to leave her bare from the waist up, Hiccup boosting Astrid up on to the table so he could lean down and bite at her neck, more teasing than marking but enough to have her squirming and gasping. His broad hands settled around her waist, the roughness of his fingertips enough to make her shiver pleasantly before they even moved. Thumbs rasping over her nipples sent lovely tingles along her nerves, head tipping back to expose more skin to his mouth.

Getting her bottoms off was a bit of a struggle on the table, but they hit the ground soon enough too, Hiccup growling against her mouth when he found her bare beneath them too. An increasingly long term relationship meant Hiccup was no longer just the surprisingly _wild_ guy she bedded, that he was also funny and sweet and a total dork, but the wild still lingered and Astrid loved it when he growled. Loved to tease him, get him hot until he was rougher, hungrier.

It was a game Lillian enjoyed too but, well, she was napping at that moment. Hiccup could probably make up for it later. With Astrid helping...

Hiccup drew her wandering mind back with a sharp nip to her collarbone, thumb pressing circles around her clit to win soft, needy moans from her. He was soft and sweet again for a moment, nuzzling her hair until she let out a breathless giggle, nudging her face with his until Astrid leant up to kiss him. Fingers explored her, testing how wet she was, Hiccup smiling against her lips as Astrid keened against his.

"Lie back a bit?"

Astrid did so eagerly, Hiccup discarding his top and finishing what Astrid had started in undoing his jeans before gripping her leg and lifting it until it was up against his chest. His grip on her thigh was firm as he guided himself, groaning long and low in concert with Astrid as Hiccup slid inside her. Already panting, Astrid wriggled impatiently - the way he held her leg gave her little leverage, but let him press a little deeper as her ankle flexed against his shoulder.

Hiccup didn't keep her waiting long, rolling his hips in long, lazy thrusts that only served to frustrate Astrid further. His smirk said it was all intentional, watching Astrid's hands curl into fists against the table, trying to push down on him to urge Hiccup on. He drew it out until Astrid was about to shove him off and tackle him to the ground to get her way, and only _then_ did he move as she wanted, harder thrusts and winding pleasure through her belly enough to distract her from the wood at her back and the sound of the table banging against the wall.

He dropped her leg so he could lean over her more, letting him move quicker, one hand braced on the table while the other grabbed roughly at her breast. She felt teeth when they kissed, reached up to drag her nails down his back just to hear him growl again.

Astrid was overwhelmed by it all at once, clutching tight at Hiccup with her shaking thighs and gripping harder at his sweaty back for an anchor as her mind went blank. He stilled, waiting until Astrid wasn't too cross-eyed to look at him again before smiling down at her when she opened her eyes. Astrid argued with her jelly-like limbs until they obeyed her, pushing herself up and Hiccup off of her. He frowned for a beat or two, and Astrid could see a question forming in his face before she slid off the table and knelt down, winking up at Hiccup before she wrapped her mouth around him.

He choked on a sound Astrid knew meant he was close, fingers lacing gently through her hair and sending little tingles down her spine as she sucked and tongued his cock, head bobbing in time with the stroking of her hand, her free hand coming up to caress his inner thigh in that way she _knew_ made him weak in the knees.

Hiccup came in her mouth with a sweet, almost pained sound of pleasure as he tried to stay standing with nothing to hold on to but her, definitely stumbling a bit when Astrid released him but still he reached to help her to her feet. He'd barely moved to fix his jeans before a yawn sounded behind them, both turning to the doorway to see Lillian stood there, blanket wrapped around her shoulders while she rubbed her adorably-sleepy face.

"Some of us were sleeping, you know."

Astrid didn't think she'd been _that_ loud, but then it occurred to her Lillian had probably been woken by the sound of the table against the wall. She gave her sister her best innocent face, which only worked so much when she was naked and Hiccup had that dopey, post-coital look on _his_ face.

"Sorry Lils."

"Yeah, sorry. Can you ever forgive us?"

Grumbling, Lillian shrugged.

"Maybe. Haven't decided yet."

Hiccup offered her a bribe in the form of spiced ginger biscuits, which Lillian was unable to resist. Astrid pulled her pyjamas back on and left for the bathroom, returning to find Lillian perking up enough to help with dinner between yawns. She just stood and watched the two for a minute, heart swelling with love for them both. They turned toward her, broad smiles on their faces.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just... _happy,_ yanno?"

Lillian nodded, understanding on her face as she beckoned Astrid over to be sandwich-hugged between she and Hiccup.

"Me too."

"Me three. But also hungry, and _someone_ waylaid me from getting started on cooking."

Astrid giggled, nuzzling Hiccup's still-bare chest.

"Hey, I was being safety conscious and distracted you _before_ you put the oven on."

Shaking his head fondly, Hiccup kissed her before patting her butt and stepping away, leaving her in Lillian's arms still, glow of contentment warm in her chest.

* * *

"I'm a little nervous."

"What for? It's all gonna be fine mom."

Hiccup hugged his mother, smiling over to her new partner.

He understood the nerves a _little,_ but still thought there was nothing to really worry about. His uncle Gobber had been 'out' for decades, Astrid wasn't shy about saying she was bisexual, and there were a few others who identified along the LGBTQ spectrum in their ever-growing family. And Valka knew Hiccup approved of her girlfriend.

Mala was a lot like his mother, actually. Both tall and still bearing Australian accents despite living quite a ways away by then, they seemed a good match so far, and Mala was open to joining their Pagan celebrations so he had no doubts all would be fine. Though, Hiccup wasn't the one coming out as bisexual in his forties, so he couldn't completely understand what his mother was going through.

He was amused by Astrid and Lillian, who had been very curious about the surprise new partner but seemed very much certain they were expecting to meet a _male_ partner.

Still, both were supportive and enthused how thrilled they were for Valka.

"Shall we?"

Hiccup gestured toward the building with his head, since his arms were full of food. His mother nodded, smiling as Mala offered to help her carry her things in. He knew his dad already knew - and was equally thrilled for his ex wife - so there was no surprise on Stoick's face when they entered, coming over to help them get everything in and on tables before dispensing the usual rib-cracking hugs to Hiccup and his girlfriends.

"Look here, it's all three o' me kids!"

He caught the bright smiles that comment raised on the twins faces, even as they stepped back and rubbed their sides.

"Hey dad. Not seen much of you since Samhain, whats kept you busy?"

"Oh yanno, work. Got some time off comin' up though, I'll be sure to come see you kids."

Gobber found them next, greeting them all and, aside from a few silent blinks of shock, he took the introduction of Mala completely in stride. Mala didn't even blink at his two replacement limbs, shook Gobber's hand with a small smile before turning back to Valka and lacing their fingers together.

Hiccup kept an eye on reactions to the new couple, but as he thought, there had been no cause for concern at all. Everyone welcomed Mala as happily as they had the twins - maybe even more so, as there was no gawking toward the novelty of identical twins or the questions of 'how it all worked'. He tracked his mother down after he'd eaten his fill of roast, hugged her and smiled.

"Told you so."

"You did. And thank you son."

"Hey, you're happy and I'm happy for you. That's all that matters."

And Mala clearly _adored_ his mother so, tactile and affectionate every time Hiccup saw them standing near each other. She did seem to be completely immune to alcohol though, downing at least twice as much as Valka and seemingly stone cold sober compared to her giggly, tipsy girlfriend.

After a few too many honeycakes, Hiccup followed everyone outside for the Yule log burning, cuddling with the twins and enjoying the contentment of being surrounded by his family, of knowing he was loved and welcome, important to the people around him.

And even happier he was able to give the same thing to Astrid and Lillian.

-HTTYD-

 **It took me two days to eek out the first 1k of this, then all of about six hours to do the rest. Brain does not brain effectively sometimes.**


	35. Chapter 35

**With proper planning, organisation and mental health, this would have been the final chapter. The number, not the content. Alas, here we are!**

 **Not that I think you guys mind.**

 **Also, I've noticed a few creeping in and feel I should say... I can't stop you reading, but Trump supporters aren't welcome here, or on any of my other works. To support him is to be against my existence and the existence of people that are important to me. There are no excuses at this point.  
**

 **Politics over. On with the fic! Bit of a time jump between parts one and two, but I think you'll like it. (Well, I hope so.)  
**

-HTTYD-

Nobody was more surprised than Hiccup that he'd survived his first year of university.

Well, actually, nobody else seemed all that surprised at all. They were all insisting they knew he could do it, that they never doubted him and that he was going to do fine for the subsequent three years he had left.

For now, though, he was going to rest his head on the table and think about how much sleep he could catch up on now. If the twins let him, that was. They were quite fond of keeping him up late. Though, in fairness, they _had_ given him space and time and forced breaks and food on him as and when he needed it.

He hadn't moved from that spot when Astrid got back from her run, prodding him to check he was alive when she passed to get her refuelling drink.

"Are you alright babe?"

"Brain. Tired."

Astrid perched next to him with her shaker, poking him repeatedly in the cheek and neck until he lifted his head to glare at her.

"Meanie."

"I missed your face. Now I can see it."

It was hard to feign irritation when Astrid said such sweet things. She winked before taking a swallow of protein shake. He'd lost track of what flavour she was drinking now. It changed about once every two months, when she got bored and finished a big pack before moving on. There was always unflavoured and chocolate protein powder in the kitchen though, for baking.

"How was your run?"

"Good. Personal best time on a mile, didn't keep it up though so gonna try and beat my personal best for ten miles this weekend."

"We're visiting mom and Mala on Sunday, remember?"

Astrid nodded.

"Yeah, I'll run Saturday. So, why were you trying to communicate with the table through your forehead?"

"Just tired. But my year is over, and now I just have to hope I passed!"

"You will. I knew when I met you that you were a nerd. You corrected Lils' work at a glance once, and that was before you were even really studying for this."

Groaning, Hiccup shrugged.

"Just feels like my brains gonna come out my ears."

Astrid leant over, kissed him softly. Hiccup tasted strawberry shake on her lips.

"Go lie down or something. Lils will be back from work in an hour, so I'm going to go take a shower and then order pizza."

That was her way of saying Hiccup didn't need to worry about dinner that night, which he appreciated. And he did really like pizza.

"Alright. Come cuddle me when you're clean?"

"I will. Go on, scoot."

Hiccup scooted, heading up to their bedroom and throwing his clothes in the wash basket before crawling into bed. His whole body seemed to sigh in relief as he settled amongst the soft sheets. He didn't mean to fall asleep, but was stirred by Astrid shuffling in next to him in t-shirt and briefs, lifting his arm and wriggling under it.

"Comfy?"

"Yep. Go back to sleep if you want."

"Mmm."

The next thing Hiccup knew was opening his eyes to try and work out if he was seeing double, but realised after his brain switched back on that Lillian was home and kneeling on the bed next to Astrid.

"Hey."

"Hey sleepyhead. Foods here. You coming down or staying in bed?"

"I'm up, I'm up."

Yawning, Hiccup pushed himself into a seated position, stomach grumbling at the mention of food.

"Go on, I'm just going the loo."

"Alright, see you downstairs."

They took turns leaning over to kiss him, then hopped off the bed and vanished. Hiccup pulled on some comfortable shorts and t-shirt, ambled over to the bathroom and relieved himself. He washed his hands, splashed a little cold water on his face to wake him up, and followed the tempting scent of pizza toward his favourite ever sight - the twins, comfortably settled next to each other with smiles.

"Glad to be done with your first year love?"

Having done it all herself and graduated, Lillian was sympathetic to his plight.

"Yeah. Just hope I got good marks."

"I have every faith in you."

"Me too. I also have cheese fries, want some?"

Hiccup smiled as Astrid held out the tray, working with a fork each to seperate some and dump them on his plate alongside some pizza slices and garlic bread.

"How are the people in your course? You'll have to do group projects eventually, right?"

"Yeah. There's a few I don't expect to see next year, who clearly weren't really interested in learning. A couple I know were struggling but really hope will pass, and mostly I guess people like me who just wanna get through the boring parts to play with stuff. That's the thing I miss about work most."

"Well, you can always play with us."

Lillian grinned as Astrid snorted into her drink and Hiccup dropped his fork in surrpise - it was usually Astrid who came out with such things, but he certainly knew Lillian was _capable_ of such quips.

"True, but I think I'd get in trouble if I took out your insides to see how they worked."

"Fair point. Ah well, cheer up. Samhain looms closer and aunt Gothi will let us get married then."

Hiccup looked up from his food, blinking at Astrid.

"You've come around on that."

"Well, yeah. I just needed time to get my head round it all. I was the one who brought up handfasting, remember? I was always on board, just not in any rush. But, well, it's almost Samhain and Gothi said if we were still together this time around, she was game for tying our knot. And anyway, it's still months away. Lils said you told her it was... Beltane? Traditionally?"

"Yeah, Beltane. So next May... you're really game for that?"

His heart thrummed harder in his chest. It had been something they all agreed _would_ happen in the future, but while Lillian was the one to ask about dates and traditions, Astrid had definitely come across less interested, and Hiccup was more than prepared to give her time.

"Unless you're not?"

"No, I am!" Hiccup might have answered a little fast, as both twins were grinning, but he didn't want any doubts "I am. If you both are. Absolutely."

Astrid nodded, resuming working her way through her pizza before apparently coming up with another question.

" _Where_ do we do that?"

"Typically, outside. We have a spot the family likes to use, unless there's somewhere special to you guys?"

"Can you take us there? To see it?"

Hiccup nodded.

"Sure, though it looks more impressive full of sunshine and a bunch of tipsy pagans."

"I'm sure we can use our imaginations."

Hardly believing his luck, Hiccup led the two through the trees a few days later, the path well-worn by many trips there and the route known by heart. There were a few stone steps laid down, to mark a path to the spot where the ceremony would take place rather than have everyone wear the grass below into nothingness. Hiccup had only walked the steps himself as a child, playing with his cousins and seeing who could jump the most times across them in a row.

"Wow. Not small then?"

Astrid was looking around at the wide green space hidden amongst the trees. The wooded area was at the back of some grounds owned by some family members, and wasn't somewhere random passersby would happen across unless they were rambling deep into the trees.

"No. You have to have everyone standing in a circle. Never in rows. So, it needs to be roomy."

He waited, anxiously shifting back and forth. If they wanted somewhere else, he'd find it, but the place they stood had a lot of meaning for Hiccup, and so their approval definitely mattered to him.

"I'm good with here. How about you Lils?"

"Suits me too. I've definitely gained a new love for outdoors since last year."

Quite certain he'd never loved either of them more, Hiccup hoped he wasn't visibly tearing up as he reached for them both, drew them into a hug. They embraced him in turn with one arm, linking their free hands together.

"We're picking the rings though."

Hiccup chuckled at Astrid's determined tone.

"You can pick whatever you like."

* * *

"Do you think anybody floated the idea of seperating all three of us?"

Astrid asked Lillian as they got up, both definitely missing six foot two of string-bean in their bed last night.

"I doubt it. They don't know that one of the perks of this is we can technically bind with each other and nobody be any the wiser. Except Hiccup. And Valka. And I wouldn't be surprised if Gothi had an inkling, she's basically psychic."

"True. What time is Valka meant to be getting here?"

"Uh... Hiccup says she's always up at like, sunrise, so I assume it's whenever we tell her she can come by."

They showered before inviting Valka over, breakfast pre-made and waiting in the fridge courtesy of Hiccup's incessant need to take care of them even when he wasn't there. It made her smile.

"Morning girls."

"Morning Valka!"

There to help them get ready - and they were getting off lightly, apparently, as it was usually a group effort - Valka had their rings, outfits and several hours to tame them and their hair into submission. Hiccup was over at his dads house, and Astrid could just picture him pacing and veering between fretting and bouncing with excitement.

"Where's Mala at?"

With Samhain and a second Yule under her belt, Mala had been accepted in to the big mad family as happily as the twins.

"She's meeting us there later. I didn't want you girls worrying about how you had to behave today of all days."

It had never been _explicitly_ said that Valka knew, though all three knew she knew. So for her to quite blatantly say she'd come alone without her girlfriend so the twins didn't have to worry was very on the nose. Still, they'd been together over three years by then, and Valka had known pretty much the whole time. If she had an issue with it, it had never come up.

The twins had picked the rings, but Valka had _made_ their clothes. Another tradition, and when she'd told them that, she used the word _daughters_ and Astrid had suddenly had a lot of dust in her eyes.

"Are we allowed to call Hiccup and check he's not worrying himself crazy?"

"Of course. Go right ahead, I'll make some tea."

Lillian shuffled closer while Astrid brought Hiccup's contact info up and hit _call,_ and it seemed he'd been right next to his phone as it answered only two rings later.

"Hey!"

"Hey babe. Lils is here too. How are you holding up?"

He let out a deep exhale, crackling against the phone speaker slightly.

"I'm good. Not changing your minds are you?"

"Not a chance Haddock, you're about to be stuck with us permanently. With ropes!"

He laughed, a bright and joyful sound.

"That's good."

"Yeah. So, what did you do with your last night of bachelorhood?"

"Had a couple of drinks with dad, Gobber, uncle Spite and Snotface. Nobody was drunk or anything. We just talked. It was nice. I missed you guys like crazy though. Don't know how to sleep without someone twitching nearby."

Lillain giggled - that was definitely aimed at her, the active sleeper.

"Well, it was only for one night. I promise to throw in extra fidgeting to make up for it tonight."

"I'll hold you to it. I better go, I gotta get there early to do some of the final prep so I should probably get dressed at some point."

"Alright. We'll see you at the altar! Wait, there is an altar isn't there?"

Laughing again, Hiccup confirmed it.

"Yeah. There is. See you there."

Exchanging love and goodbyes and relaying one from Valka to Hiccup, they hung up sharing broad smiles.

"He's such a dork."

"Yeah, but he's our dork."

They drank tea with Valka quietly, but then she was getting things out of her bag and Astrid picked up something she didn't recognise.

"What's this? It's not elasticated, so Hiccup's not taking garters off with his teeth later by the looks of it."

Lillian rolled her eyes, tutting.

"Astrid!"

Sticking her tongue out at her twin, Astrid turned back to Valka.

"It's one of your cords. Hiccup asked for me to make one from my wedding dress, which I still had. It was only gathering dust, and I don't plan on wearing it again."

"Ohhhh, of course. Didn't realise. That's sweet."

They kept a little decorum with Valka there, but when it came time to start on their hair, the two held hands and Valka simply smiled at them as she combed through the gentle waves that came along with wearing their hair up in braids so often.

"You're both very much a part of the family already, of course, but it's still nice to get to see you all tie the knot."

Valka commented as she finished brushing Lillian's hair, moving over to Astrid. Her hands were gentle, smoothing over her hair a little before picking up the brush.

"Yeah. Everythings been so... non traditional with us, it's almost weird to be doing something halfway to normal."

"Good weird though."

Lillian added, and Astrid smiled in agreement.

"Well, that's you done too. I'll add the final touches before we leave, but for now I'll leave the two of you to change."

The two bags were marked with their initials, indicating which was which although, when opened, they looked identical. Astrid supposed it was because they'd been measured for them, and they had slightly differences in their shape since Astrid was more lean and muscular while Lillian's shape was slim and toned.

White and gold was the traditional colour scheme for Hiccup's family to wear to wed, and their ceremony was no different. Valka's love and care for the whole process was clear, and Hiccup's artistic touch was clearly inherited from Valka if the intricate golden pattern around the waist was anything to go by. When she turned to look at Lillian in hers, Astrid couldn't help laughing even as her heart quickened in appreciation.

"Wow, it's like a mirror image."

The one difference between the two was visible then - on one shoulder each, Valka had stitched the shape of the head of their favourite dragon from her books, Stormfly. On opposite sides, but when they faced each other, it looked like a reflection.

"I like it."

"Me too. You look... _wow."_

There weren't words, but Lillian understood.

"You too."

Lillian wrapped her arms tight around Astrid, burying her face in her neck.

"We're really doing this, huh?"

"We really are Lils."

The fabric was soft under Astrid's hands where they rested on Lillian's waist, holding her sister close. They'd come a long way to get there, the quirks and _strangeness_ of their three way relationship where Hiccup knew and supported the (technically illegal) bond between the twins no longer something she really thought about. They were happy, content, committed.

Though she was sure Valka was done changing and getting ready herself a while ago, she didn't intrude on the twins, waiting downstairs for them to rejoin her.

Valka's dress was simple, soft yellow with gold around the collar, and white and gold ribbons wound their way through her long hair braids.

"You look really nice Valka."

"Thank you. You both look lovely."

"Well, that's thanks to you. These are... amazing."

"I never thought I'd have daughters, so I made Hiccup promise if he ever tied the knot I could make his clothes. But I was very happy to make yours too. I can't wait for him to see you."

Putting on their new shoes meant they were dressed for the occasion, leaving Valka to fuss with their hair again before guiding them over to the flowers Astrid vaguely remembered her arriving with. Beltane was big on flowers, so their home was already full of life but she knew the ones Valka brought were Hiccup's favourites. Growing up with his love for nature and respect for Mother Earth, their soon-to-be-husband actually liked flowers more than either of his future wives.

"Choose a few for each other to wind together."

They did so, Valka's quick and practiced hands winding the flowers with some other bits to present the twins with flower wreaths, tucking a flower behind her own ear with a smile.

"These are for you, and we're ready to go whenever you are."

The final touch being yet more flowers in the form of little bundles tied with white and gold ribbon, Valka put a few things back into her bag and tidied up what didn't need to be out, adding the remaining plants to the nearest vase and watering them while Astrid and Lillian looked at each other silently. There was only one question.

 _Ready?_

 _As ready as you are._

Shifting her flowers to the other hand, Astrid's free hand gripped Lillian's.

"We're ready."

"Then off we go. Oh, hold on, I need something from the car."

Valka made them wait by the car while she took a covered basket from the back seat, took it back into the house, then locked the door. Their neighbours were probably looking outside at them, but they weren't hanging around long enough for anybody to catch them in conversation. Astrid hitched up the skirt of her dress clumsily, not used to wearing anything like it. Lillian saw her, moved immediately to help Astrid get in more easily.

"Thanks Lils."

"Anytime."

Lillian slipped in the other side gracefully, breathtaking to behold and Astrid was going to have to remember not to stare at her too much when they joined everyone else. The car journey was quiet save for the soft harps and flutes coming from Valka's speakers, but it was a lovely soundtrack to carry them along.

"Valka!"

Mala was waiting when they arrived, car pulling up amongst several others in a spot Hiccup hadn't shown them when he took them to the woods before. She was wearing black trousers like always, but her jacket hung open to reveal a button up shirt in the same soft yellow as Valka's dress, matching the yellow flowers in her hand.

"Hello Mala."

They kissed, smiling sweetly at one another before Mala took in the twins.

"You two look beautiful."

"Thanks."

They answered in sync, sharing a little laugh about it as they often did. Valka gestured for the two to follow her, promising there wasn't much of a walk that risked either tripping over their long dresses.

The hawthorn and rowan were more recognisable now than they had been last time they visited, spring very much sprung and summer well on its way. The sun was out but a gentle breeze chased away enough heat that it wasn't a stifling, sweaty walk. They heard voices soon enough, Astrid's pulse rising with anticipation as they grew closer and closer. When she saw the first stone of the path, Astrid looked up and saw the circles of people. One caught sight of them and got others attention, the crowd parting to clear the route fully.

Hiccup was looking right at them from where he stood, and his smile put the sun to shame as he beamed so brightly. His white tunic had a gold collar like Valka's, and Astrid caught sight of Stoick, seeig matching golden cuffs on father and son. Turning to hand them both a cord each to take with them, Valka took a step to the side.

"This is you girls. Off you go."

They went, following the laid out path to reach where Hiccup stood at the altar, Gothi on a little step so she wasn't down at hip level. Astrid and Lillian laid their flowers either side of Hiccup's, then each placed a hand in his, bright green eyes alight with joy.

"Ready?"

Astrid didn't need to look to know Lillian would nod and answer as she did.

"Ready."

-HTTYD-

 **Yeah... may or may not have used the movie wedding scene a little. I haven't seen it many times, and it's not an exact replica but hey.**


	36. Chapter 36

**thevioceinmyhead - I would like to inform you that you're a piece of shit and that Hiclilstrid wouldn't invite you to their wedding, but thanks for stopping by.**

 **Anyone else who'd like to declare themselves a Trump-supporting scumbag so I can block you, do feel free.**

 **To everyone _else,_ enjoy an early update!**

-HTTYD-

Lillian was quite sure that if anyone told her five years ago that _this_ would be where they ended up, it would have sounded like impossible madness. Each and every little thing that came together to create the union she was a part of now seemed beyond her grasp, but they all came together like the knot to be tied around their hands today.

To have _Astrid_ back again. To have a _family_ that loved and supported her so wholeheartedly, and not just because she was academically successful. To be getting _married,_ perhaps not legally, or traditionally, but in a way that absolutely suited everything she needed from such a commitment, and in a way that matched their unique relationship. And most bizareelt and perhaps wonderfully surprising of all, to have _Hiccup._

That awkward, dorky guy who'd inadvertently stumbled into their lives, stolen both sisters hearts and supported them when he learned the truth. Who'd opened up his life and his family to them, brushing away the weight of expectations of normality and replacing it with something deeper and far more fulfilling. And really, far more _them._ Lillian had never wanted to be 'normal', she'd always just wanted to be _happy._

And she had never been happier, feeling like it might burst out of her with how her heart swelled every time she looked at Astrid or Hiccup.

As they stood side by side and faced him, each laying a hand on top of his, Gothi wrapped them loosely with fabric and lit a candle on her little table, which Lillian knew enough by now to recognise was bearing something to represent each of the four elements. Everyone stood in circles all around them, but truthfully her world condensed a little just then to Astrid and Hiccup, and to Gothi. Gobber spoke the words for her as she signed to him, but everyone understood that it was Gothi who truly voiced over any union in their family.

"These are the hands that will love you, that will hold and comfort you through the years. These are the hands that will support and encourage you, that you will all work with to create and build a life together. The knots of this binding are formed not by these cords, but instead by your vows, your promises and your actions to uphold them. Remember, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union. Do you seek freely to enter this union?"

Something for Lillian that stuck out throughout the entirety of their vows, which Hiccup had gone over with them to make sure they felt comfortable making them, was that it was never an _I do._ It was always a _we_ do, a _we_ will. It felt so much more right to speak them than she'd ever imagined an _I do_ would.

"We do."

They had to look at Hiccup, but he'd made sure to let them rest their hands together over his, so they could still feel connected all the while.

"Will you honour and respect each other, and seek never to break that honour?"

"We will."

"And so the binding is made."

The first cord laid over their hands, one wound with gold and white to match the general colour scheme favoured by those present that day.

"Will you share in each others pain, and seek to ease it?"

"We will."

The second cord was added, binding them to their second promise with a cord of blue for the twins.

"Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?"

"We will."

Gothi draped the third, green for Hiccup, and though she saw a few tears roll down his cheeks, Lillian had never seen anyone embody _happy tears_ so plainly.

"Will you share in each others laugher, and look for the brightness in life and the positives in each other?"

The fourth was added, and Lillian recognised it as the one Valka had made at Hiccup's request, and it felt very fitting as a symbol that while Valka and Stoick had not been forever compatible, they had never been negative to each other, and the positive strength was still there today, in the beautiful man they'd made and raised together and their endless and very parental support for the twins.

"In the joining of hands and the fashion of a knot, so are your lives now bound to each others. By this cord you are all bound to your vows. May this knot remain tied for as long as love shall last between you. May this cord draw your hands together in love, never to be used in anger. May the vows you have spoken never grow bitter in your mouth. Three entwined in love, bound by commitment and fear, sadness and joy, by hardship and victory, anger and reconciliation, all of which brings strength to this union. Hold tight to each another through both good times and bad, and watch as your strength grows. Remember that it is not these physical cords, but what they represent, that keeps you together."

Gothi tied the cords together beneath their hands, binding them to hold all their vows and themselves together so long as their love lasted. There were cheers and applause behind them as they blew out the candle together (carefully), and Hiccup was still smiling so widely she could feel it when he kissed each of them.

"Just as your hands are now bound together, so too, are your lives. Because you cannot always be physically joined together, you will each give to the other a ring to symbolize that connection. It will be worn on your hand as a constant reminder of the bond shared between all of you."

The cords were slipped free of their hands without untying the knot, which they knew they would take home and keep safe so long as they stayed bound. Valka handed them their rings, which Hiccup had given the twins complete freedom to choose, and which they each took turns placing on one another. They'd wanted to but not been sure they could get away with it, but Hiccup had _insisted_ the twins place rings on each other too. As Astrid slid the final ring up on Lillian's hand, she shared a smile with her twin and saw the exact same thought in Astrid's face as was undoubtedly plastered all over her own.

 _We did it._

* * *

His heart was definitely trying to leap out of his chest, and given that they both looked so ethereal, almost otherwordly in their beauty Hiccup would be amazed if he didn't forget how to _speak_ at some point, but the happiness thaat swelled inside him with every step they took toward him was so very powerful that it stopped his legs from just giving out under him. He almost definitely had tears in his eyes and his cheeks hurt from smiling so widely as they stood just in front of him, side by side so the three could place their hands together for Gothi.

Their vows were sometimes worded just a little different than the usual, to account for the three of them rather than two, but with each cord laid over their joined hands and each promise to share each others happiness, sadness, to be each others strength and soothe each others pain, Hiccup knew it didn't matter that there was no _legal_ outcome for them. Everything and everyone that truly mattered was there, in the people all around them and the reassuring weight of the cords as they were tied.

The two rings he now wore bearing celtic knot patterns (the twins choice, and he had loved it wholeheartedly), one each placed on his finger by Astrid and Lillian, would carry their union with him. They'd even chosen a shape that would sit well under a ring protector, should he ever need it for work in the future.

He'd encouraged them to place rings on each other too, and promised he'd handle anyone questioning them so the twins could have _that_ moment, there and then, even if almost nobody understood what it meant.

"How come they did the ring part too? They're not marrying each other."

Sure enough, they were asked. Hiccup kept his face calm, his smile happy as he shrugged as best he could with an arm around each of his brand new wives, each leaning into his side.

"Well, for one thing, women generally wear two rings. Engagement and then wedding. We didn't get 'engaged' so to speak. If I'm the only one wearing two rings, people are gonna start thinking I'm the wife!" there were snorts and snickers, and giggles from Astrid and Lillian that warmed his heart "Plus, this was a commitment for them too. They promised to work at our union as a three, always with the _three_ of us. All the cords have to work for the knot to stay tied."

Satisfied once they had a reasoning, the family left it at that. Hiccup knew, and the twins knew, and that was where it really mattered. And probably his mom knew and maybe Gothi too, but neither were likely to snitch on them. Pulled down to the right height for them to both kiss him on either cheek, he heard the soft whispers of _thank you_ and smiled at them both.

"It's your day too."

"Speaking of day... how long do I have to wear this? It's beautiful, I'm just worried I'm gonna trip in it."

Astrid tugged at her dress, the white fabric soft on her curves. Hiccup resisted the urge to make a joke about the dress coming off.

"You can change when we head back for the fire. Nobody is gonna ask you to risk tripping and falling in."

"The... fire?"

Hiccup nodded.

"It's Beltane, remember?"

Astrid blinked, then seemed to remember the previous years.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry, kinda forgot with all the wedding stuff. Bring on the fire! Is that not here?"

Hiccup shook his head.

"No. We try to limit how much damage we do to this spot, so that the future generations can enjoy it as it is now, and fire leaves a mark. Why burn this place when we have a fire spot already?"

The three of them took their shared drink, each sipping from the same cup, as a signal that everyone else could begin drinking and dancing, though the actual festivities there were limited - a lot of people still had driving to do, and with the sheer number of people, even a couple of hours dancing could wear the grass beneath down to nothing, but still they celebrated in the circle of trees. Hiccup smiled as Stoick insisted on 'father of the brides' dances, and he and his mother twirled each other around for a little while to match.

"I am so very thrilled for you son. I've never seen you happier."

"I don't think I've ever _been_ happier than I am right now. Thank you. For everything. You and dad have both been incredible, through all of this."

"That's what family is for son. Now go rescue your wives before your father starts trying to get adventurous with his dance moves when the mead catches up with him."

His _wives._ That was going to take some getting used to before he stopped grinning like an idiot at the very idea. Even now, actually wearing the rings and with their cords tied, their vows made, Hiccup still felt giddy with the prospect.

The twins were quite happy to be retrieved, though like him they scarcely seemed able to stop smiling.

"When do we head back?"

"Uh, when aunt Gothi says so, but it shouldn't be too long."

When it came time to leave so they could go light their Beltane fire and eat oatcakes in honey until they felt physically sick, there were, unsurprisingly, jokes aimed at the newlyweds.

"Make sure aunt Valka drives them back or they might not even turn up!"

Scott jeered, already well on his way to merrily drunk as he elbowed Hiccup playfully. Astrid was the one to return fire, quipping back with

"Normally, you'd be absolutely right. But I don't want to ruin this dress and I feel like it might get dirty out here."

Winking, and clearly proud of dumbfounding his cousin for a minute, Astrid took his hand, Lillian grasping the other as they headed off amidst other peoples snickering toward his mothers car.

"Nicely handled."

"Thanks!"

They waited patiently for his mother, who was doing the "see you there" goodbye with Mala before they headed for seperate cars.

"Do you mind if I sit in the front? I get squished in back seats since I managed to inherit my moms ridiculously long limbs."

"Go ahead, we'll just poke you from behind."

Hiccup snorted,

"I wouldn't put it past you."

Astrid smirked, Lillian helping her navigate her way into the car without stumbling over her dress. He knew it wasn't something she wore often, but Astrid hadn't complained about it once. Even showed a desire to keep it as pristine as possible, rather than risk it getting damaged by her usual energetic, rough-and-tumble way of interacting with the world.

Valka was pleasant company for the drive, enthusing as they did about how nice a day it was, and how happy she felt seeing them tie the knot, and paying no mind to Astrid and Lillian holding hands in the back of her car.

Soon enough, they pulled up to the house that saw many of their celebrations - including all the Yule and Samhain get-togethers, and would likely host all their future ones too. And today, it would see the post-wedding Beltane celebrations. There was a flurry of activity going on as everyone began discussing what needed cooking or pulling out of the fridge, where to put all the drinks and so on. The newlyweds were given a few minutes to head upstairs and change into something a little more comfortable, though there were several comments about "we're coming up in five minutes, so be decent!" to remind them not to get carried away.

"Hey, do you know what your mom left in our house?"

"Huh?"

Hiccup shrugged, unsure what Lillian meant.

"She put like, a basket or something in there when we were leaving earlier."

"Oh! Yeah. That's just like... a gift basket, I guess. Food, drink, flowers that represent fertility, that sort of thing. We'll probably get given more to take home today, to make sure we have enough to nourish us, as yanno, right after the wedding is when you would traditionally begin trying for a baby. They know that's not alway the case _now_ , but the family gift basket lives on."

He hung his tunic up carefully, still amazed by the care and love that his mother had so clearly put in to _all_ their clothes for the day. Once his bottoms were added, Hiccup zipped up the clothing bag so they'd stay safe and clean for the trip home. Still patiently waiting, Astrid and Lillian beckoned him over to help take off their dresses, since they wouldn't still be on later when the three got back home for their personal celebrations.

Lillian and he helped Astrid out of hers first, and it was very difficult to limit themselves to a few stolen caresses before focus moved to taking off Lillian's dress. The moments stood just holding each other like that were definitely worth the rush to redress later when someone banged the door and told them to get a move on or they were coming in to throw cold water at them. Astrid glared at the door, only cheering when he and Lillian took turns kissing her til she smiled.

"We'll be out in a minute!"

Reluctantly, they seperated and dressed quickly.

"It's only a few hours until everyone in the world leaves us alone for like, a week."

They weren't _going_ anywhere, but Hiccup was taking the week off classes (he'd made sure to get a list of what he was missing) and both Astrid and Lillian had a week booked off work, so the three had a week all to themselves.

 _"That_ is an excellent point. Alright, let's go light fires and eat things!"

"You heard the lady."

Chuckling, they grabbed their wedding attire and carried it downstairs, though the twins put their flowers back over their hair and smiled. Hiccup made sure their tied cords were securely put away in a little bag too, and finally the three rejoined the party in time for toasts, grabbing mead and raising cups and Hiccup did his best not to hide from being centre of attention. With the prep started early enough and a helpful neighbour keeping an eye on it (in return for an invite to the eating), there was lamb being kept warm over charcoal waiting, and the rest of the food was either pre-done or being cooked as they drank. Hiccup's stomach rumbled appreciatively at the smells, smiling as Astrid fed him oatcakes smeared with honey and Lillian kissed the sticky sweetness from his lips.

"I could make soooo many jokes right now, but I am far too hungry."

Astrid was very happy when hearty chunks of roast lamb were plated up and the sides options were available, everyone piling their plates and finding anywhere to sit and eat and talk, washed down with probably-too-much alcohol but the energy all round was high, the mood jubilant and happy as they gathered for the Beltane fire lighting.

"Pagans are big on their fire, huh?"

Hiccup nodded, dislodging a bit of oat from his teeth with his tongue before he answered.

"We're big on a lot of things that start with f. Fire. Flowers. Food. Fucking. Farming. Fertility. There's probably more I can't think of right now. You want some more lamb?"

Astrid shook her head, rubbing her stomach.

"Gods, no, if I eat another thing I'm gonna burst. I'm actually glad at this very moment we need to wait an hour or two for you to not be illegal behind the wheel."

He'd only had a couple of drinks, knowing he needed to drive home after dropping his car off ready the day before, but given how _strong_ a lot of the homemade drinks were, Hiccup was erring on the side of caution and making sure he let his body process some of the alcohol out of his system first. He didn't _feel_ drunk, but Hiccup wasn't a heavy drinker so his tolerance wasn't massive anyway.

They passed the time by letting their dinner go down a little, then joining in dancing in the firelight when they were no longer uncomfortably full of food. Some of the lamb was packed into a box for them to take back with them, since it was _their_ wedding feast, and Lillian joked that once they added the baskets of gifted food and drink to that, they weren't going to have to cook for the entirety of the upcoming week.

"Are they trying to fatten us up?"

"Yes."

Hiccup answered, deadpan as though deadly serious.

"Well, you two have been trying to do that to me for years! Everyone else might as well have a go too."

"It doesn't seem to have worked, you just put the extra calories into muscle gain."

Astrid beamed.

"Aww. I couldn't love you more if you were dipped in chocolate and high in protein."

"And thats enough alcohol for Astrid tonight!"

Lillian joked as she surreptitously removed Astrid's drink, leaving Astrid pouting until Hiccup kissed her.

"I love you too. Even if you just threatened to eat me."

"Hey, you haven't complained yet."

Well, Astrid _did_ bite... chuckling, Hiccup kissed her again.

"And I'm not _complaining_ now."

"Good. Are you sober enough to drive yet?"

Hiccup glanced down at the time, then back up to Astrid.

"I'm giving it fifteen minutes, then it'll have been two and a half hours plus most of my dinner since my last drink. It's gonna take us that long to say goodbye to everyone anyway."

It took them _longer,_ being hugged by a few dozen people and well-wished to within an inch of their lives, piled with food as they headed out to Hiccup's car. Valka and Stoick followed them out and gave them last hugs, and Hiccup promised they'd call and probably visit during their time off.

"Aye, if ye find the time!"

"Stoick! Behave! Enjoy your time kids."

Astrid and Lillian waited approximately thirty seconds after he began driving to become very distracting, though as they'd had to behave very mindfully for most of the day, Hiccup wasn't terribly surprised they took little time to jump each other as soon as it was safe for them to. Well, safe in terms of not being noticed. Not so safe when Hiccup was trying to drive and Astrid was trying to grope her sister.

He was very relieved to see their home, and had to turn around and poke them to remind the two that they had to make it to the door in _some_ semblance of decency. Easier said than done when Lillian was quite so flushed and rumpled, and the look on Astrid's face was _very_ reminscent of the first night he met her, when she had seemed more prowling beast than future wife.

"We have to get our clothes and all the food in too."

Astrid growled, but she leapt out of the car seconds later holding a basket full of baked goods and the clothes bags their wedding outfits resided in. Lillian managed to right her clothes enough to avoid the suspicion of the neighbours, and helped Hiccup get the rest of the boxes out of the car a little more sedately, trying not to laugh at a visibly impatient Astrid realising she couldn't open the door with her arms so full.

"I'm gonna hang these in the spare room, we can deal with them tomorrow."

"Works for me. Lets make sure everything is put away properly first, I don't wanna come downstairs in the morning to mouldy stuff cus you didn't want to wait for us to put some things in the fridge."

Their fridge was pretty damn full by the time everything that couldn't be left out overnight was packed away in there, but at least breakfast was taken care of. For the next three days, at least. The basket Valka had left was brought along for the trip to their room for reasons Hiccup wasn't entirely sure about, while he was tasked with bringing a couple of their refillable water bottles along so nobody got thirsty.

Fully expecting and prepared for Astrid to attempt to jump him as soon as the bottles were down, Hiccup closed his hands around her wrists and held tight, slowing her.

"Hey, no rush. We've got all week."

Lillian very helpfully held Astrid's hands behind her, restraining Astrid while Hiccup kissed her slowly, waiting for Astrid to unwind a little. They let her go when she did, and Hiccup smiled when her arms wrapped around him gently, her kiss softening to match his and the cool metal of her rings brushing the back of his neck enough to make him shiver pleasantly. His heart swelled further when Astrid turned away from him to pull Lillian to her, the two resting their foreheads against each other for a few seconds in silence, lacing their fingers together as they kissed softly.

"Hey Lils, we got married today."

"I know! I still can't quite believe it."

"Hey" Astrid turned back to him "take your boots off so we can get you naked easier in a minute."

Hiccup laughed lightly to himself as he complied, bending down to unlace his boots so they could come off - they normally took their shoes off as soon as they got in, but with all the wedding gifts to carry in and Astrid's eagerness, it hadn't happened tonight. Toeing them off when they were undone, Hiccup took his socks off and tossed them toward the dirty washing basket for good measure, moving shoes out of trip-hazard range before all three moved up on to the bed.

Two pairs of hands tickled up over his belly and sides as they pushed up his top, discarded once it slipped over his wrists. He lifted each of their flower crowns from their hair gently - the flowers wouldn't last, but they were still pretty for the moment and he didn't want to damage them, placed aside far more carefully than his clothing.

They took turns undressing each other, each article of clothing thrown into a growing pile until all three were bare, save for the new rings they now wore. Hiccup thrilled in the simple, sensual moment of both pressing their naked bodies against his own and each others, limbs entwined as they just felt each other _there._

Hiccup had never known two people other than his parents who could make him feel so loved, so _safe,_ but Astrid and Lillian had surprised him so many times and tonight was no different, his mind still wrapping around the reality of just how much they had thrown themselves into the traditions of his family from the very beginning, right the way up to now when they bound themselves to him through the same traditions. Oh, they'd bound to each other too, but the twins had always been joined, connected by something Hiccup could never touch, and yet he'd never felt sidelined by it for a second.

Fingers caressed bare skin, lips following lines they'd mapped a thousand times to draw sweet sounds of ecstacy from each other, the whispers of loving sentiments on his tongue returned in kind over and over. He squirmed and gasped as teeth left their mark on his skin, left panting as his two lovers pulled away to enjoy each other for the moment. Hiccup knew the smaller tells, probably the only person who could tell them apart when there was nothing but the different ways they responded in bed to go on. Of course, he was the only person who would ever _see_ them in their current state anyway, but he recognised the way Lillian's head tipped to the side so easily for Astrid's mouth, the way Astrid could simultaenously surrender to anothers touch while still seeming on the edge of taking over.

He knew Astrid's heated pleas and Lillian's softer whines, losing himself in enjoying _their_ enjoyment until they both turned to him as one, crawling back over him with flushed skin and swollen lips and sinful tastes on their tongues. Ignored for a while when Hiccup was focused elsewhere, his cock swelled when hands moved to stroke and squeeze him playfully, tickling teasingly at his inner thighs to make him wriggle.

Warm mouths travelled over sensitive nerves before hands drew Hiccup closer, spread thighs welcoming him into dizzying heat and loving embraces. There was scarcely time where all three weren't touching each other in some way, connected like the cords that tied their knot together earlier and carrying those promises in their hands again, to bring strength and joy and pleasure to each other. Hiccup felt nails grip at his back, breathed the scent of flowers in golden hair that he'd seen glow in sunshine and firelight.

Blissful sensations bloomed in him like the flowers had for Beltane, and as Hiccup came down from the surging emotions that overwhelmed him, he felt their arms around him as they'd promised to be, sweet kisses covering his cheeks, his forehead, his lips, his jaw. Giddy and indescribably _happy_ in that moment, Hiccup felt both Astrid and Lillian burrow into his chest, joining fingers over his sweaty stomach as his racing heart slowed and his arms wound their way around his wives shoulders. He felt the occasional twinge and ache as the loving little claims their teeth had left came to the surface more, bruises stark against his pale, freckled skin and something he often carried under his clothes as a reminder of them.

Now he had rings to wear as a reminder of them where _everybody_ could see, though Hiccup certainly didn't mind having lovebites to match. He was rather fond of the fact both of them could be a little feral now and then. As their lazy strokes started to move toward more explorative touches again, Hiccup made to reach for the water brought up earlier and spotted something he'd forgotten to ask about earlier.

"Why did you bring that basket up with us?"

Hiccup nodded to the one still residing nearby, which Astrid seemed to have only just remembered was there, hopping up out of the bed and crossing over to grab something out of it while Hiccup and Lillian both had a few mouthfuls of water. Seconds later, Astrid climbed back up onto the mattress bearing a mischievous smirk and a jar of honey.

Somehow, Hiccup got the feeling their night was going to get _messy._

-HTTYD-

 **I feel sorry for their bedsheets (if you ever take food into bed, also take a towel), and Hiccup trying to innocently explain where all that honey went so quickly... but hey, at least with a Beltane wedding, Hiccup will never forget their anniversary.**


	37. Chapter 37

**MajorPayne67 - it's my fic and I'll bring politics in if I want to. And also: fuck you, you cannot 'just get along' with people who want you dead, which is the real actual situation I am in when it comes to people who support the orange twat in the white house. If you don't want to see my politics, you are as welcome as Trumpists to get the fuck off my fanfiction :)**

 **Eeesh, some people...**

-HTTYD-

Astrid wasn't entirely sure she was _surprised,_ but she did definitely sit at the table thinking _gods, I married a dork!_ when Hiccup was stood at the side, armed with a grater and singing "sweet dreams are made of cheese" to himself. Lillian was snickering into her book, doing some reading for work (supposedly) while Hiccup thrilled in the freedom to be able to cook leisurely again, now he had the free time in between university.

"This is practically a workout, what with how much cheese Astrid uses."

"I like cheese!"

"No, _I_ like cheese" Lillian piped up, siding with Hiccup like a traitor "you drown food in so much of it you cannot possibly taste the food underneath."

Astrid stuck her tongue out.

"That's how cheese should be used. Just think how strony my bones are!"

Hiccup snorted, shaking his head.

"For a second I thought you were going to say... never mind."

"Well, I'm sure my boners are strong too, but not because of the cheese."

He had to stop grating to start laughing, which set Lillian off while Astrid feigned maturity and supressed her own mirth. She did smile, glad that even after years now they could still be silly and daft together, still made each other laugh.

"How long until dinner?"

"Uh, probably still about forty five to an hour, why?"

"Just checking."

Astrid grabbed her jar of peanut butter and some crackers, sticking her tongue out again when Lillian raised an eyebrow, shaking her head.

"I'd say don't spoil your dinner, but then I remembered how much of our wedding food you went through in like, three days."

"Hey, at least we didn't throw anything out!"

She retorted smuggly, mind turning back to that rather... _busy_ week. It was a while ago now, but the spark between them had yet to fade, and Astrid still found it a little bit novel when she looked at the rings on her finger, the tied cords Hiccup had mounted in a frame-box over their fireplace. Beneath that were pictures of the three of them - Lillian's graduation, their handfasting and the subsequent Beltane-celebration that day, and a few of the three of them and... well, _their_ parents, Astrid supposed. She doubted either she or Lils would ever reach to calling Valka and Stoick 'mom and dad', but it was accepted and understood that to them, the twins were as much their daughters as Hiccup was their son.

Hiccup's first anniversary gift to them had not been one they expected. They'd both woken up missing one of their rings, which confused them both as it seemed improbably they'd _both_ lost them in the night, and they weren't in the bed. Neither was Hiccup, which stalled Astrid's plans for an... early morning celebration of Beltane/their anniversary. They tracked him down after scouring the house and eventually finding him in the garden. With their rings, and a bunch of stuff on the table.

"Did you steal our rings?"

"No, I borrowed them. Almost done."

Bemused, they watched as Hiccup ran his little finger through the inside band, then stood up and held them out to each twin.

"What did you take them for?"

"Look inside."

They tipped them, using the early May sunshine to cast light on... engraved initials. Astrid's had an L, and Lillian's an A.

"You did this for us?"

He nodded, smiling and gesturing for them to go back inside, grabbing the stuff he'd used and following, back door closed behind him before he explained himself.

"I thought about getting them done professionally, but I'm good with metal and they are wide enough bands that I thought I could _probably_ do it without messing it up. Try them on so I know they're smoothed enough?"

Both slipped their rings back on, fitting as perfectly as before and the letter not even something she could really feel, but Astrid _knew_ was there now.

"Mine's good."

"Same here."

Hiccup smiled with relief, though there was hesitation.

"I did practice on other stuff first. Do... do you like it?"

"I love it. Thank you."

Lillian nodded in agreement with Astrid, both wrapping arms around Hiccup and snuggling their wonderful husband tightly.

"You're amazing."

"Well, I couldn't think of a paper gift."

Giggling, Astrid squeezed him around the middle. _They_ had gotten paper gifts - certificates of legal name change, _finally_ discarding Hofferson for Haddock, that they'd be giving to Hiccup when done with the cuddling.

"Careful not to set the bar too high, because you're over the top like that and will feel like you have to one-up yourself every year."

Hiccup pouted.

"I'm not that bad."

They both hugged him again, stretching up to kiss his cheeks.

"Whatever you say love."

* * *

For all Astrid's talk of _Hiccup_ trying to come up with a better gift each year than the last for their anniversaries (which he couldn't easily forget, with them celebrating Beltane every year on the same day)...

Lillian reckoned he'd not be able to beat _Astrid'_ s gift that year. Or any year.

She'd told Lillian the day she found out, and they agreed to save the news for a week later, and because it was a second anniversary she even jokingly got some cotton to wrap it in.

Hiccup's bemused face as he unwrapped the fabric shifted to one of pure shock and disbelief as he held up the positive test. It was only one of about four Astrid had taken, just to be sure before they broke the news to their husband.

"You're really... wait, _who's_ is this?"

Astrid lifted her hand.

"Mine. And yes, really."

It wasn't planned - they'd agreed the three were open to having kids down the line, but _after_ Hiccup was finished at university, and while he'd officially finished all his tests and handed in everything he could possibly hand in, he wasn't graduated or working yet. And truthfully, Lillian had sort of expected she would be the first to have a baby, as Astrid was less enamoured with pregnancy on the whole. But, well, birth control wasn't always one hundred percent, and Astrid had changed the pill she was taking a few months before, the one she'd taken for a few years before not agreeing with her as much as it used to. Lillian could relate - she'd gone with an IUD when they ditched condoms with Hiccup, after neither the pill or the injection had agreed with _her._

"Wow. I... _wow._ "

They sat and waited for Hiccup to process, looking dumbfounded for a good three more minutes before his face broke into the _widest_ smile Lillian had seen since their handfasting.

"That's amazing!"

He got up and circled the table, grabbing Astrid into an exuberant hug. Peering over her shoulder, he gestured for Lillian to come get in on it too.

"You don't seem surprised, so I'm guessing you knew?"

Lillian nodded, squeezed tight by Hiccup too.

"Yeah, I knew. But I'd have noticed a few days later anyway when Astrid hadn't got her period."

Their cycles were basically the same, give or take a day some months. But Astrid had needed to tell _someone,_ and Lillian was the instinctive choice while there was a minor freakout about how Hiccup might take the news. She'd reassured Astrid Hiccup would be ecstatic, and was being proved right there and then as he let out those joyful sounds of his.

"Wow. Just... _wow_!"

"So this is good news, yeah?"

Hiccup nodded, all but bouncing on the spot.

"It's kinda soon and we'll have to talk about whether we stay here or find somewhere bigger and I need to make sure I secure a job and then there's stuff like childcare and, and-"

"And _breathe,_ Hiccup!"

He stopped, sucking in a deep breath but still beaming.

"Yeah. Yeah. Breathing is good. But yes! This is amazing news. Best news ever."

Astrid relaxed a little more, leaning into Hiccup.

"I was gonna say let's not tell anyone til tomorrow, because Beltane get together tonight will mean a few dozen drunk pagans getting excited, but there's no way everyone is going to miss that I'm not drinking."

Lillian wondered how much Astrid was going to pout that night. She really liked the homemade brews.

"Yeah, thats true. Uh... then can I call mom and dad to tell them now, rather than risk my dad fainting and breaking a table tonight?"

Laughing, Astrid nodded, smiling when Hiccup leant down and kissed her soundly. Lillian was next, before Hiccup was bounding over to get his mobile phone. Lillian slid her arms around Astrid, nuzzling her sisters hair.

"Told you so."

"Yeah, yeah. He raised some good points though."

Hiccup rocked back and forth on his heels, practically jumping on the spot as he waited for the phone to be answered.

"Oh, hey Mala. Is my mom there?"

Lillian smiled - they were a sweet couple, and at that point she wouldn't be surprised if next Beltane was another wedding.

"Mom! Mom! Guess what?" Hiccup laughed at the response "yes, I know what time it is. You're normally up this early... I won't ask. Anyway... Astrid's pregnant!"

They _heard_ Valka's response through the speaker then, a sort of high pitched "oh!" before mother and son were enthusing back and forth about Astrid's carrying the next member of their family.

"Mom said do you know how far along?"

"Uh, only one missed period so probably no more than a month, we'll have to wait for a doctor to know more specifically than that."

He relayed it back to Valka, and they continued to chatter away before Hiccup realised he had another call to make. Valka had him put the phone on loudspeaker so she could congratulate Astrid too, which made Astrid smile.

Stoick was just as thrilled, his booming laugh and Scottish accent audible even without loudspeaker as he passed the news on to his girlfriend of about eight months, Hanna.

"I'm gonna be a grandpa!"

For just a second, Lillian's mind went back to their own biological parents, and how they'd not know all the joys and milestones in the twins lives because they couldn't ever recognise how absolutely incredible Astrid was. Still, now they had an ample family who all _adored_ Astrid, and thought she wsa pretty darn wonderful. Lillian agreed. Then she dismissed those thoughts of _them,_ happy to discard it to the depths of her mind.

"Yeah, yeah, we're still coming tonight. I'm just gonna make up a batch of alcohol free mead for Astrid to bring with us. Lucky we always have so much honey in for Beltane. See you later."

After he hung up, Hiccup immediately resumed hugging his wives, practically vibrating with a happiness so bright it outdid the flowers all around their home.

"You don't have to-"

"Shhh. Yes I do. It's not that hard anyway. Skipping the alcohol-making part means it'll only take me a little time. Then it just has to be cooled and strained. We have hours til we go over to everyone else."

Astrid's eyes lit up.

"That's true, we do."

Hiccup chuckled.

"One track mind."

"Well, that _is_ how you got me in this situation!"

"Me?"

"Well, Lils certainly didn't knock me up!"

"Alright, alright. Partially my fault. Let me go get this going, then you can drag me to some form of flat surface all you like while it cools down. Plus, breakfast!"

That got Astrid's attention, and even if it hadn't, Lillian reckoned a nudge to remember she had more reason to eat right would have done the trick. She made them all porridge while Hiccup got started on the mead mix, humming to himself as he mixed and spiced, beckoning Astrid over for a careful taste.

"Wow, thats amazing. I'll almost not even miss alcohol with that."

Hiccup laughed at the compliment, kissed Astrid and sent her to sit down since Lillian was almost done. Astrid was even happier when she saw chocolate porridge put down in front of her. It wasn't Lillian's favourite, but she wasn't making three seperate batches and it was nice sometimes. Hiccup's love for cinnamon would be sated later, so he wasn't really all that concerned either and ate it up quite eagerly in between stirring his mead until all the honey vanished.

"That was lovely, thanks Lillian."

"You're welcome."

He'd barely finished turning the hob off and rinsing out his breakfast bowl when Astrid was done, and seemed wholly intent on misusing the kitchen table now Lillian was no longer eating off of it herself.

There was really only one reason they needed a new table about once a year, and that reason was Astrid's 'bedrooms too far' pounces. Not that either Hiccup or Lillian ever really put up much of a fight. Or wanted to, for that matter.

Between the pregnancy announcement and their anniversary, the three of them had much to celebrate that day, toasting with mugs of tea and smiles when Astrid finally let them up for air. Quieter moments were spent reflecting on their two years of marriage, their vows and their future together, and once Hiccup had strained off Astrid's alcohol-free mead and put it in the fridge for later, the three went out for a long walk to enjoy the way spring was giving way to summer all around them. Most of the people in their local area were used to the three slightly quirky Pagans who spent so much time just _looking_ at trees and fields and flowers, and so it was rare they were even asked about their holding hands or group hugs by then.

With Astrid's pregnancy, Hiccup had raised a good point about possibly needing to move; sure, their place was technically big enough, but there was also whether or not it would still be in a couple of years if a second child came along, and whether they wanted to find somewhere they could feel more like a 'forever' home.

But really, she mused, as they wound their way through the woods so they could head back and prepare for joining everyone for Beltane later, Lillian was content to call wherever she ended up with the two loves of her life home.

-HTTYD-

 **I was snickering to myself a lot writing about honey this chapter, and I wonder how long it took for Hiccup to even look at a jar again before he remembered the sweet, sticky mess they made on their wedding night... hehehe.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Wow. Only two chapters to go!**

-HTTYD-

Yawning into his hand, Hiccup fumbled to unlock the front door of their home and managed to get his key in, so tired he contemplated sleeping there in the hallway. Locking the door up behind him, Hiccup took off his shoes and padded through to the living room, where he found the sort of sight he _lived_ for.

Astrid was fast asleep on the sofa, top hiked up to expose her swollen, rounded belly. Lillian was curled up next to her, arm loosely draped over the bump as she slumbered on too. Smiling at their sweetness, Hiccup moved more carefully so as not to disturb them, biting back a chuckle at how no matter what, Lillian fidgeted in her sleep but Astrid was so used to it, it didn't risk waking her.

The pregnancy hadn't been without its trials and tribulations; Astrid's job came with a lot of limitations when the gym found out she was expecting, to cover themselves if anything happened so it wouldn't be blamed on her physical activity there. She kept her job, but the active woman found it frustrating how many things she couldn't do as her belly grew. And of course, that was before the dramatics of going for tests and scans as a three-person relationship.

Hiccup still wished they'd gotten a picture of the bewildered technician when both Astrid and Lillian walked in. Then there was having to explain that _yes,_ they wore rings and _yes,_ the twins had taken his last name but as polygamy was still illegal, they weren't 'technically' married. Astrid had to put Lillian down as her birthing partner just so nobody would fuss about her being there when Astrid eventually went to deliver, on the advice of a more sympathetic nurse who had seen a few polyamorous groups have some hassle with 'only the father' in the room.

It wasn't like Astrid could broadcast that Lillian was as much her wife as Hiccup was her husband, at least to them and their family. Not in quite the same way, but everyone recognised that Astrid and Lillian had made vows to each other to always share Hiccup fairly, and that was good enough for them.

And the last six months especially had been a whirlwind; Hiccup graduating university and hunting down a job because he was about to be a father, and that was without the added stress of moving house, from their 'first time living together' two bed into a 'family home' four-bed. They got it at a lower price because it needed a fair bit of work doing, but with any luck they wouldn't have to move _again,_ unless they suddenly ended up with a whole mess of kids. And _that_ hopefully meant no new neighbours to explain their relationship to...

Hiccup's engineering job was demanding and tiring, and then they spent a lot of time doing the house up, though thanks to a family of helpful and skilled types, it was probably a lot easier on them than it could have been.

But they'd been settled in time to celebrate Samhain in their new home, and photos covered walls and Astrid's ultrasounds were up on the fridge, charting the growth of their first child through the last seven months. And their childcare was, for the moment, not a concern, since his mother had pointed out that she worked from home and would be only too happy to get lots of time to spoil her first grandchild. They had a lot of other offers too... Hiccup was starting to wonder if they'd have to actually schedule time to have their own child home, with how excited the entire family was. It had been a whole year since anyone had a baby, so it seemed they were all getting broody.

Changing into comfortable clothes, Hiccup snapped a photo of the twins napping on his phone when he got back downstairs, then went in search of food. Astrid was on maternity leave so she was home a lot, though quite often she'd be dropped off at Valka's if there would be nobody home but her all day so she wasn't alone. Lillian had been off work that day, and it showed in the baked goods in the fridge (all missing slices or with gaps in the pattern on the plate that just had Astrid's name written all over them).

He was due time off soon too; since Hiccup and his family didn't celebrate Christmas, he'd got landed with the Christmas Eve shift nobody wanted but it meant he got a couple of days off for Yule, and since it was so close to when he'd be going off for paternity leave, he wasn't complaining.

"Ughhhhh, Lils, I love you, but I have to pee and I am trapped."

He heard Astrid wake up, chuckling as Astrid struggled to extricate herself from her octupus-like sisters embrace. Heading out, Astrid lit up at the sight of him.

"Hiccup! Come help me up, Lils is not helpful."

"Is she even awake?"

"Sort of."

Lillian mumbled as she drew away from Astrid, letting Hiccup help her to her feet. She cradled her heavy bump, groaning before remembering she was getting up to pee and rushing off. She was still pretty quick on her feet, though she did struggle with moving from horizontal to vertical and the sofa was both her best friend and greatest enemy (her words, not his).

Stirring fully, Lillian stood and wrapped her arms around Hiccup, still yawning.

"Good nap?"

"Mmm. Astrid's nesting so we were fussing around with the baby stuff for hours. Packed and unpacked and _re_ packed the hospital bag a bunch of times."

Hiccup chuckled, smile widening when Lillian nuzzled her face against his neck and squeezed him.

"Missed you."

"Missed you too."

Astrid came back and used both Hiccup and Lillian to sit comfortably, before asking about Hiccup's day and grinning when he plucked at the tunic she was wearing.

"Has mom been making more clothes?"

"Yeah. She said it's absolutely not too much, because she's pretty sure we won't stop at one so we'll need maternity clothes again. And this is _so_ comfy, I might actually wear it after I pop anyway. You, little thing" Astrid hadn't wanted to find out the sex, and Hiccup didn't care either way, so they had a range of neutral nicknames for the baby "had better stay in there til after Yule. I already can't drink, I at least want to eat my weight in sun cookies and honeycakes before I'm a slave to your feeding cycle."

Come Yule, Astrid found herself touched by how several of their baskets of gifted food contained alcohol-free drinks, so she'd be able to drink them even if she was pregnant or nursing, and Hiccup smiled at how the twins _accepted_ things like that now, rather than early on when they were surprised by the level of inclusion and thoughtfulness they were shown.

"You must be fit to burst by now, surely lass?"

Astrid nodded at Stoick, rubbing her stomach as he handed her a plate piled up with cakes and biscuits.

"Feels like it. Not sure they like the pork pies, so I guess I'm on sweets."

"Oh, I am sure that is _such_ a hardship for you."

Having spent so much time at his mothers house lately, Astrid had inevitably spent a great amount of time with Mala too, and turned with a smile toward that regal Australian voice.

"Mala, what are you implying?"

"That you have the sweet tooth of an adolescent and yet the physique of somebody with a diet far healthier?"

"Not right now I don't. I look like I swallowed a beach ball. If this kid is as tiny as Hiccup was, I'll be annoyed that _I'm_ this big."

Hiccup stuck his tongue out.

"I was premature, you're already basically to term."

A hand rubbed through his hair, Hiccup turning to smile at his mother.

"And look at you now."

"Where has Lils got to? I saw her there but she has gone."

Astrid pouted, visibly debating moving the plate that was resting on her stomach to go in search of her twin.

"I'll go find her."

Her pout became a smile.

"Thanks babe."

He felt content leaving Astrid with both his parents and Mala, who would become his stepmother in a few months time, when Beltane rolled around again. Hiccup marvelled at how different things would be compared to that years Beltane celebration, which had been he and the twins second anniversary, and the day Astrid said she was pregnant. Next year would be their third anniversary, his mothers handfasting, and they'd have a child celebrating all their firsts.

The twins almost white-blonde hair stuck out quite well against a mob mostly with varying shades of red or brown hair, a few grey and other more ash-blonds here and there, so Hiccup didn't expect to have trouble picking Lillian out. He couldn't see her near the food or in the kitchen, but knew some were outside getting the log burning ready. He found her, immediately concerned.

"Lillian, are you alright?"

She was clutching her stomach, one hand braced against the wall and her face was contorted in pain.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know, I came out to see if anyone needed help with the fire and it just _hurts._ "

Her voice was strained, knuckles standing white against her skin. Hiccup had his hand in his pocket for his phone to call an ambulance, quietly freaking out before Lillian straightened up, face and posture relaxing completely.

"Lillian?"

"I don't think it was me."

Before Hiccup could ask what she meant, he was stopped by someone calling his name, and the house had fallen _eerily_ silent. As soon as he rounded the door, people parted so he could see _Astrid_ now clutching her stomach, parents urging he and Lillian over.

"What's going on?"

"Well, I think I ruined the seat but I also think my water just broke."

It took about three and a half seconds for Hiccup's mild panic to let the words permeate his brain, and then he realised what Astrid was saying.

"Oh! Ok! Uh... what do we do?"

There were several pitying looks thrown his way before Hiccup's brain kicked in and he realised what a daft question that was. Lillian patted his shoulder, then nudged him toward the door.

"Go get the car, we'll bring Astrid."

"Right, right!"

People yelled congratulations as Hiccup hastened to get outside, looking for his car amongst all the others and feeling relieved it wasn't hemmed in by questionable parking. Heart pounding in his chest, it was a show of how Hiccup was equal parts anxious idiot and organised adult that he'd intentionally stayed sober just in case this _exact_ thing happened, and yet the actual happening had almost knocked him over.

He wasn't that surprised that rather than have Astrid try and walk (which she probably would have tried to do anyway if it was anyone but Stoick), his dad had just picked her up and carried her out. Lillian was clearly beside herself and trying to look calm, helping get Astrid in the car. She was obviously in some discomfort already, gripping Lillian's hand tight as soon as it was in reach.

"Go, go, we're right behind you son."

Hiccup went, almost forgetting which way he was even going for a minute.

"How are you feeling Astrid?"

"Like something large and wriggly is trying to escape my uterus."

Lillian snorted with laughter, and he caught a tight smile cross Astrid's face in the rear-view mirror before turning his eyes back to the road. He could hear Lillian soothing Astrid, caught glimpses of her stroking her sisters hair as roads raced by at barely legal speeds. The view of the hospital was a great relief, and Astrid naturally insisted on walking from the car to the entrance rather than let him go get her a chair.

"My wife is in labour!"

Hiccup blurted in panic, thinking right now wasn't the time for strangers to gawk at the identical twins but not caring so long as someone made sure mother and baby were doing alright. Astrid growled at the first implication only Hiccup would be allowed in, and wisely, the nurse backed off long enough for Lillian to say she was Astrid's birth partner anyway.

After the manic rush there, someone checked Astrid over and said she was only about halfway dilated so they could catch their breath for a minute, which was easier said than done when Astrid's contractions were rapidly growing closer together and more intense.

"Go tell the crowd that everything is ok, cus you can't have your phone on in here."

Lillian urged him, and Astrid nodded with a warning to hurry back. Hiccup ventured back out, finding both his parents and their respective partners hovering in the waiting room nearby.

"Well?"

"Everything is moving kinda quick, but they seem torn between saying not long now and it could be a while. I'll... let you know, I guess."

His parents gave him bracing hugs and reassurances, joking about the family left behind to make him smile before shooing Hiccup back to his wives, entering the room just in time to hear Astrid's retort to whatever Lillian had said before.

"Next time, definitely your turn!"

"In my defence, this baby wasn't planned."

Astrid stuck her tongue out, but she didn't stop leaning into her sister all the same. They both looked up at Hiccup, who wasn't entirely sure what to do with himself.

"Mom, Mala, dad and Hanna are here. Others wanted to come but dad managed to convince them the hospital wouldn't appreciate a horde of drunk pagans, and that photos will be circulated via text or internet as soon as we feel up to it."

Wincing as she adjusted herself on her pillow pile, Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Everything is such a family affair, it's like being adopted by fifty people all at once."

"Well, you married into this motley crew, don't blame me."

Astrid had had to stop wearing her rings a few weeks ago, as the mix of cold and pregnancy made her hands swell sometimes and the wide bands dug into her fingers. She kept them with her still, and they knew the rings would go back on as soon as they fit her. It hadn't stopped her from joking it looked more like just Hiccup and Lillian were married, while Astrid was knocked up.

"It doesn't say married here."

Hiccup jumped as a voice materialised from behind him, the voice transpiring to belong to a medical person holding Astrid's records.

"No, not legally but that's a long story for when I'm not about to put a new human in the world."

As if determined to throw all their expectations of a first delivery aside, Astrid progressed through labour quicker than they were anticipating and tried to break the bones in Hiccup's hand with her next three contractions, then began insisting she needed to push.

There was a lot of screaming and Astrid threatened Hiccup with both death and castration at various points, and he could see Lillian on her other side trying not to laugh when Astrid was catching her breath between each push. He could feel the indentation of his own rings branded into his fingers from Astrid's squeezing his hand, but given what _Astrid_ was going through, Hiccup kept quiet and hoped to the gods it was over soon. He _hated_ seeing her in so much pain.

And then there was a head, and shoulders and body all covered in goop, wailing in indignation at being out of the warm cosy home Astrid made for them and Hiccup had never heard such a beautiful sound. Astrid sagged in relief and Lillian was definitely crying a little bit, goopy messy baby immediately placed in Astrid's arms to hold them close for those precious first skin-to-skin moments.

When he was allowed to, Hiccup was invited to cut the cord. It wasn't as easy as it looked on TV, but it went eventually and the amazingly calm midwife managed to extricate the baby from Astrid's arms, taking them for a quick clean and weighing and a little name tag before returning them to the anxiously waiting parents.

In all his _(not obsessive,_ no matter what Astrid said) reading, he knew post-delivery Astrid could still be in some pain, but if she was, he couldn't tell. She was teary and flushed and sweatiing, hair stuck to her face. Hiccup couldn't imagine when she'd ever looked more beautiful, glowing as she stroked their baby's cheek with her finger.

"Well, they're not tiny like me."

"Nope, definitely not."

In fact, Hiccup thought some of their smallest newborn clothes might not even fit them, looking at their chubby cheeks and arms and legs.

"Well?"

Still dazed and beaming, Hiccup eventually peeled himself away from their sides just to go and update the waiting family, already aching to go back and just _look_ at them.

"Bouncing baby girl Haddock. Looks just like her mothers, and I think she's about twice what I weighed. Maybe more."

He held out his phone, switched on to airplane mode so they could take a photo to show to excited grandparents. There was cooing and squealing - mostly from Stoick - over it, and once she promised not to send it out yet he sent the picture to his mom, so they could carry on looking while Hiccup headed back. Astrid had shifted to sit more comfortably, nursing the baby at her breast with a peaceful look on her face.

"Hey."

"Hey. Everyone alive out there?"

"Well, they're all absolutely gooey over the baby but yeah, I think they're alive."

Astrid smiled, eyes falling back down to watch their daughter.

"So, what do you think we should call her?"

* * *

"Hold still you little monkey."

Astrid chuckled to herself as Hiccup shifted how he was holding their daughter, Aura just over four months old and definitely not old enough to appreciate quietly respecting handfasting rituals going on only feet away. Luckily, the women in question being bound were two of her very proud grandmothers (which Astrid found absolutely hilarious when Mala was only nine years older than Hiccup, a decade younger than Valka, but they were so clearly a brilliant match).

Aura settled just enough not to interrupt the binding itself, but as soon as the cheering went up when the knot was tied, she was very unhappy and started making a lot of noise herself. Astrid reached for her, recognising the way she sucked at her fingers.

"I think she's hungry, I got it."

Hiccup handed her over, Lillian surrepitiously keeping Astrid from being stared at undoing the ties on her tunic, one of the ones Valka had made her when Astrid was still pregnant with need to breastfeed in mind. As soon as Aura realised there was food available, she latched on and quieted down. Hiccup was congratulating... well, Astrid supposed the newlyweds were their mothers, since Valka had long since called the twins her daughters, and so that made Mala their stepmother.

In a show of gratitude for all the efforts Valka had put into _their_ handfasting, Hiccup had somehow found the time to make both womens dresses since they didn't have parents to do it for them; all the more impressive when he'd only had two months of work, and was a hands-on dad every available minute. Then again, Astrid was pretty sure none of them had actually slept since Yule, when Aura was born.

Aura was a beautiful little thing though, all Astrid and Lillian in the face but the shock of red-brown hair was all Hiccup's line, and Astrid fully expected a hearty dusting of freckles to match the proud dad as Aura got bigger. Astrid hoped she had Hiccup's smile, though Astrid was reliably informed Aura had Astrid's scowl down to a T.

Muslin cloths helped protect from baby spit up when Aura was winded, and Hiccup happily took over holding her again when given half the chance. He smiled at the bracelet Astrid wore around her wrist, identical to the one Lillian was wearing. Third anniversaries were traditionally leather gifts, and they had already recieved new leather boots from Stoick (handily timed as their old ones were getting worn out), and _gorgeous_ leather bound photo albums from Valka, one of the adults complete with graduations and their handfasting and any other pictures lying around, and another clearly just getting started as it was filled with all the photos she had of Aura so far.

Hiccup had made them leather bracelets, intricate and beautiful and reminscent of the cords that were used for their handfasting. Hiccup didn't own a lot of proper coats as he didn't like the bulk of them, so Astrid and Lillian gave Hiccup a nice, durable leather jacket. It was a totally happy coincidence that watching him try it on had made Astrid want to jump him that morning, but he had to go help his mom get ready for her handfasting.

Fed and cuddled to her satisfaction, Aura was a little less fussy when it came to heading back for the usual Beltane celebrations, though she wasn't too sure about being passed around excitable relatives and Lillian rescued her when she started getting irritable. She absolutely _adored_ Valka though, content to listen to her grandmothers soft lilting voice as Valka cuddled her gently and stroked her hair.

"Oh, she's so beautiful."

"Well, with mothers like them, who's surprised?"

Astrid shared a smile with Lillian, leaning in to her sisters side and feeling Lils slip an arm around her, both resuming watching Valka and Hiccup coo over Aura. Much like they had, Mala opted to change out of her dress once the ceremony was over, not really accustomed to wearing them and looking relieved to be back in trousers again, but sporting a soft gold tunic to keep some of the colour scheme.

"And here's your other grandma!"

"A peculiar thing to hear when I have neither birthed a child of my own nor reached forty years of age, but I will accept a cuddle from this lovely young girl nonetheless."

Mala was as smitten as anyone else with Aura, the usually small smile wider when holding her, and despite how ridigly _neat_ Mala was, she didn't seem to mind getting drooled on. Astrid wondered, but didn't think it her place to ask if they thought about kids; Valka couldn't have more after Hiccup, and now he was a grown up with wives and a child of his own. And it wasn't as though Mala would get pregnant accidentally like Astrid had.

Either way, she was quite sure they were blissfully, ecstatically happy to be married, Valka wrapping her arm around Mala as they both fawned over little Aura. Naturally, they were quite keen to hand her back when Aura needed changing. Hiccup, because he was wonderful like that, offered to deal with it and scooped up daughter and baby bag before heading to the bathroom.

Slipping away to give Valka and Mala their quiet moment, Astrid felt Lillian lace their fingers together, something everyone around them had seen happen countless times by then and never questioned. Some undoubtedly had suspicions about the arrangements that went on, but it was never brought up.

"Love you Lils."

"Love you too Astrid."

Hiccup reappeared a few minutes later, invited into their little embrace and pressing kisses to each of their temples.

"Happy anniversary."

-HTTYD-

 **I know Aura is a kind of Extra name, but I had two reasons for choosing it. One I think is kind of clear, but I'll be very impressed if anyone can figure out both reasons.**


	39. Chapter 39

**This story is only a couple of weeks off 1 year old! And we're almost done! Penultimate chapter, my dudes.**

-HTTYD-

"Aura!"

"Morgan!"

Lillian smiled as she watched them, Valka appearing to smile over at her pregnant daughter.

"How are you feeling?"

"Heavy. You sure you don't mind?"

"It's no trouble."

She reached to take the sleeping one year old from Lillian's arms, Livy not even stirring. Morgan was Mala and Valka's eighteen month old son, six months older than Astrid, Lillian and Hiccup's second child Livy. And Lillian was pregnant with their third, and _final_ child.

"How is Hiccup doing?"

"He's fine. Sore, but you know, it's quicker and easier for him to get a vasectomy than for me _and_ Astrid to get operated on, and he was sweet enough to offer so we didn't have to spend forever on birth control once this little one comes along. Three is enough."

Valka laughed lightly, smiling as she ran her not-holding-Livy hand over Lillian's hair.

"Go on, Mala will be home any minute, and it's only for a couple of hours. I can manage."

"You sure?"

"Of course my love. I adore spending time with my grandbabies, becoming a mother again didn't change that."

Aura - a little over four years old and starting _school_ in september, a dizzying prospect - charged over to get goodbye kisses from Lillian, giving her extra ones to take back to Hiccup and Astrid.

"You promise?"

"I promise to give them kisses, yes."

Beaming, Aura turned and went back to play with Morgan. Pecking a kiss on a still-sleeping Livy's soft blonde hair, Lillian got a goodbye kiss and hug from Valka before she tore herself away. Then she climbed back into the car and drove home; Hiccup and Astrid both tried to talk her out of it, but Lillian already couldn't work while pregnant because labs and chemicals, she was damn well capable of dropping off the kids for a couple of hours.

They were both visibly relieved to see her back in one piece, which she rolled her eyes at but dutifully went and transferred Aura's kisses to their cheeks.

"Those are from Aura. Livy was still fast asleep."

"Sounds about right. Sleeps like the dead."

Both placed hands on her stomach, then kissed each of her cheeks. Lillian couldn't help smiling.

"So, how are preperations going?"

"It's a first birthday party, not a Royal visit."

Hiccup was still walking a little delicately, but he'd be fine in a few days according to the doctor who performed his vasectomy, and with any luck he'd be firing blanks before Lillian gave birth (Astrid's words, not hers).

"Still, after this we only get one more. Mala already said they are not having more kids, so its Livy and this one" Lillian patted her belly "and thats it. So go on, shoo. Prepare."

"Yeah, which is kind of a relief. Becoming a big brother when you're a married father is weird. I love Morgan though, obviously."

"How do you think Valka feels? I mean, she became a grandmother before she had her second child."

"Yeah... our family is weird. I love it."

They finished putting up decorations and laying out food; it sort of felt strange not having a get together at aunt Gothi's place, where they celebrated so often through the year already. But if they had every family members birthday celebration there, Gothi would never have a moments peace. They did have a group birthday thing (where the twins had first met the majority of their now-family) and the occasional barbecue over at Hiccup's grandfathers old farmland, but for kids birthdays, it was usually at the parents of said childs home.

There was time for people to start arriving before Valka and Mala came back with the kids, which also meant there was time Lillian could sit down and complain her back was hurting, with Astrid nuzzling her belly and offering her back rubs.

"I love you Lils."

"I love you too Astrid, but I am so very relieved I won't be doing this again. Hiccup, come snuggle."

Their adorable husband obeyed, sitting mindfully before he cuddled up with them.

"I promise you all the bubble bath and massages you want tonight."

"You don't have to take care of me, thats what I have Astrid for."

"Hey!"

"Don't hey me, he's not long let someone poke him with sharp things so we never need birth control again. _You_ can run me a bath."

Astrid stuck her tongue out, but then resumed cuddling Lillian and agreed as she rubbed her sisters belly.

"You know I would do it anyway."

They reluctantly ceased snuggling when the door knocked, the first arrivals for Livy's party. Valka called to check everything was good before they came back, Livy grumpy about her nap being disturbed when she arrived but perking up when she saw her parents again.

"Mama!"

Their kids _could_ tell Astrid and Lillian apart, but they didn't really seem to mind which was which. Both were their mother, so the only real difference was who could produce milk for them. Livy reached for Lillian, obviously hungry and not yet completely weaned.

"I'm gonna go feed her, then we'll take her through. Let Aura and Morgan go charm everyone first."

"Good plan."

She'd nursed her child in front of others before, but it was a nice excuse to take a few more quiet minutes.

"I bet that feels much better, eh? You do like a full tummy."

Livy gurgled, flashing her gummy smile; she was a little slow on teething, but hitting all her other milestones fine. Standing with Livy content to laze against her mothers chest, Lillian carried her out to where the family awaited to celebrate her first year of life.

"Happy Beltane Livy!"

"Birthday, Aura, not Beltane. It's almost Beltane, but not yet."

Hiccup corrected her gently, Aura frowning before she nodded.

"That too. Can we eat now?"

Oh, Lillian could _really_ see Astrid in Aura. As calm and sleepy as Livy was, Aura was energetic and messy, loved nothing more than playing in the dirt or doing her best to copy Astrid whenever she was working out at home. Hiccup occasionally joked Aura could do more push ups than him.

"Yes, Aura, you can eat now. Don't overdo it, remember the Yule tummy ache?"

"It was my birthday!"

Aura pouted, then turned and climbed up on the nearest chair to get to the spread on the table. She had been their Yuletide surprise, and so _her_ birthday was always a full family affair, and she loved the solstice treats and log burning that came along with the day itself.

Morgan was only eighteen months old, but clearly learning manners from Mala and the little blond boy ate considerably more tidily than Aura did, despite only being a third of her age. He did also like going to roll in the mud with Aura though.

Livy toddled from person to person, enjoying being the centre of attention but only for so long before she got fussy, placated eventually by cuddles from Astrid and Aura tottering over, sharing her banana in messy handfuls. Hiccup came to the rescue with a cloth to clean up sticky fingers and faces, tickling Aura until she squealed as he picked her up for a cuddle.

"Daddy!"

"Aura!"

"No tickles!"

Hiccup pouted, Aura copying him until they both started giggling.

"Your daddy is a bit mad Livy, you'll get used to him."

Hiccup stuck his tongue out at Astrid, who did the same back. Lillian watched them with a smile, hands immediately moving to her belly when she felt movement.

"Is baby kicking?"

"Feels like it!"

Aura wriggled, determined to get over and feel it. She'd been transfixed when Lillian was pregnant with Livy too, as they'd done their best to involve her so there was less chance of jealousy over the new baby when they were born. Her belly jumped again, Aura laughing happily as she felt it and both Hiccup and Astrid looking over Lillian and Aura with pure joy on their faces.

"Baby!"

"Yep!"

"When do they get here?"

"Not for a few months yet, but they'll get here."

Aura sulked for about three seconds, then seemed to remember there were cupcakes and off she vanished to stuff her face again. She'd never even heard of picky eating, and wolfed down just about everything Hiccup had ever put in front of her, giving her all that boundless energy she had. Lillian could do with some, already imagining the end of the party so she could lie down.

Livy yawned and looked quizzical from her fathers arms as they presented her with her birthday cake, though when presented with her own child-size slice she was quite happy to smush it all over her face, her hair, Hiccup's t-shirt and then finally got some in her mouth. They'd definitely have a new stack of choices to add to their photo albums, though they were probably going to need a new one by the time their third child joined the family.

"Well, I'm gonna get us cleaned up, then how about presents?"

Not really sure what presents were yet, Livy didn't seem to mind either way, caring more that she was, as usual, being carried around because she was lazy and spoiled rotten for constant cuddles. Returning in a fresh t-shirt with a clean child, Hiccup handed Livy over to Astrid for present-opening and pulled Aura up onto his lap so she wouldn't get bored and wander off to cause trouble.

Gifts were often more practical than pretty, which was appreciated as none of them really liked little plastic gadgets kids would be bored of in a week. There were simple books for story time, hand carved wooden blocks from Stoick that had letters, numbers and runes carved into them, sturdy clothes (they were low on hand-me-downs because of how absolutely destructive Aura had been on hers) and, because Mala was just _like that,_ the exact same pair of boots in four different sizes, for Livy to grow in to. Personalised feeding things for weaning, and a nice chunk of stuff like nappies. _Much_ more useful than store-bought toys, and there was still sweetness and care and thought there - like how Valka had made them baby-friendly soap, the same thing she used to use on a sensitive-baby-Hiccup.

"I think this little one is ready for a nap, say night-night Livy."

"Night."

There were coos and kisses until Livy got tired of that, and then Astrid headed off to put Livy down for her nap, returning a few minutes later with the baby monitor in hand as she flopped down to sit between Lillian and Hiccup.

"She go down easy?"

"Yeah, she was pooped!"

"I can relate."

Astrid laughed, squeezing Lillian's hand.

"Want me to put you down for a nap too?"

Lillian held out until people began to filter away, left eventually with just Valka, Mala and Morgan, and Stoick and Hanna. Aura had finally tuckered herself out too, both she and Morgan curled up napping on one of the chairs together, tucked under one of the blankets Valka had made them.

"We have some news."

Everyone looked over at Stoick, and given how soon Beltane was, Lillian had her suspicions. She was surprised though.

"Are you going to tell us, or is this a guessing game?"

"Come now Astrid, surely you have noticed?"

Astrid blinked at Mala, shaking her head before her eyes moved over to Hanna, and Lillian looked too.

"Oh! Alcohol free. Are you pregnant?"

Hanna was in her early forties, and they'd never really mentioned planning on kids. And she wasn't a petite woman, so there was no visible bump showing just yet.

"I am. Four months! It wasn't planned, or expected, but here we are!"

Hiccup beamed, then turned back to Lillian with a smug expression.

"And you said we weren't gonna get another first birthday party!"

* * *

Lillian was a freaking _hero,_ Astrid decided. And adorable, especially just then. Livy wasn't yet two and that was when Lils wanted to wean her fully, but their young son Henrik (Hiccup rolled his eyes, but they wanted to name their kid after him and he wouldn't agree to Henry Jr) was also in need of feeding, so her sister was up all hours through the night feeding a four month old baby, _and_ kept up with nursing Livy on top of that in the day.

Aura had weaned herself, refusing to nurse after ten months of life, so really, Astrid had gotten off lightly in comparison.

Lils was napping on the sofa, Henrik tucked under one arm and Livy fast asleep on Aura's lap. Hiccup was at the hospital, waiting for his youngest sibling to come into the world. They'd seen Stoick and Hanna tie the knot a few months earlier, and nobody had congratulated them more than Valka.

It was a hectic few weeks - Aura started school in a weeks time, and they were all certain they'd bawl like babies when they dropped her off, and preparing for such a thing had been a bit of a whirlwind. They had a bet on how long before somebody would ask about the identical twin moms.

Astrid had already been forbidden from snarking at people who were intrusive.

Her phone buzzed on the side, a picture attached to the message Hiccup sent. She opened it up, seeing him grinning and holding a hefty swaddled bundle of blankets with a chubby cheeked face.

" _Meet Sigmund Haddock. Me and Hanna are winding dad up debating if thats a weirder name than Stoick, but Hanna did pick it. And also threatened to kill dad a lot, cus he's almost twelve pounds!"_

Astrid laughed to herself, knowing Hiccup wouldn't answer her reply as he'd have to turn his phone back off. She wasn't too surprised Stoick's child was a big baby, especially without the mixing of Valka's slight build that Hiccup had inherited, but definitely sympathised with the womans suffering in labour. There was no concern that such a thing would befall Astrid or Lillian again - Hiccup had his sperm count checked again last month, and he was still hitting a solid zero.

Hiccup came home with a few more photos later that day, greeted happily by wives and kids as he regaled them with the amusement of hospital staff comparing usual newborn clothes to Sigmund's beefy build.

"Luckily, they knew they were big from last months ultrasound so they had bigger baby gear. Still funny."

Only a few more days of juggling work and children and those precious few hours of sleep later, they were all on the edge of tears as they dressed Aura up for school in her new jumper and trousers, brushing through her short, thick red-brown hair until it laid mostly-flat.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah!"

There was no shyness from their adventurous little Aura, who grinned as she shouldered her little backpack and proudly put on her own shoes, comforting Livy who was very upset about seeing her go.

"I'll be back later Livy, I promise!"

Sniffling, Livy hugged her sister goodbye even though they still had to go get in the car and take Aura _to_ school. Strapped in to various booster seats, Aura, Livy and Henrik were ready for travel.

It was busy, dozens of parents there also bidding teary-eyed farewells to their children on their first day and children in various stages of emotional turmoil or avid excitement about the event themselves.

"Hey look! They're identical like us!"

The three parents looked at each other; none of them had bet on identical twin children being the first to comment on them.

"They're my mommies!"

Aura announced proudly, which drew surprised looks from everyone in earshot. Astrid braced herself with a polite smile.

 _Here we go again.  
_

-HTTYD-

 **Just imagine all the swear words children might have learned that day if wise folk like Lillian and Hiccup hadn't banned Astrid from getting too sassy on the playground in advance...**

 **Who else is completely unprepared to say goodbye to this lot?**


	40. Chapter 40

**Well, it's been fun! Hopefully it's not a terrible goodbye.**

-HTTYD-

After much pleading, begging and wheedling - mostly from Hiccup - they were off to the shelter, to pick up their rescue dog. The kids were excited too, but Hiccup was practically hopping.

"We have to be good remember, or they won't give us Toothless!"

Aura chided her siblings, who nodded eagerly in agreement. They'd waited until their youngest was five, so they were old enough to start understanding responsibility and had the cognition to at least understand the dog wasn't just a big furry toy. They'd been involved in the selection of the dog, too, but when they visited the shelter it was love at first sight for Hiccup and 'Toothless', which was a nickname the shelter had given him, trying to make light of his teeth being so badly rotted most had to come out.

But still, he was charming and once he licked Hiccup's hand through the cage door and fixed him with wide eyes, Hiccup immediately turned to his wives looking very much like one of their kids as his face said "can we have this one?".

After a few more minutes waiting outside, Hiccup and one of the workers came out with Toothless on a lead, Hiccup beaming brightly as they got there.

"Is he really coming home with us?"

"Yeah!"

The dog was as excited as Hiccup, tail wagging away eagerly as he approached his new family. Having been spoken to in advance, the kids looked to their parents for permission before they went to greet Toothless themselves. He seemed _very_ happy with all the affection, paws skipping around on the ground as Hiccup smiled over them.

"Good luck!"

"Thank you!"

Livy beamed up at the shelter worker, who turned and left them to take Toothless home. It was a bit of a walk, but given how much energy Aura still had, that was probably a good thing. Halfway home Livy got bored and let her big sister give her a piggy back, Henrik giggling at them both as he trotted along holding Astrid's hand, Lillian walking behind to keep an eye on Aura and Livy. Aura was only nine going on ten, but she was constantly on the go, already keen on exercising and loved going jogging with Astrid. Astrid had to slow down a bit for her daughter, obviously, but it was a fun bonding experience.

"Can we take Toothless when we go out running mom?"

"Maybe, we don't know how fast he can go yet."

"I promise we'll take him on family walks."

"Yay!"

Cheers all round. Raised by their pagan parents, the kids all loved the outdoors, excited about rambling through nature and with a deep respect for the environment. Astrid had seen Livy lecture her classmates on recycling in the playground, and they were all the type to catch bugs and put them outside rather than squish them. Henrik _loved_ spiders, and Livy was almost impossible to remove from the reptile house in any zoo. Aura adored any and all creatures, already said she wanted to be a vet when she was all grown up and had almost as many books on animals as Hiccup had on dragons.

In short, Astrid was enormously proud of all three of their wonderful, quirky kids.

"Ok, welcome to your new home Toothless! Remember to let him get a look around first kids."

"We will dad!"

They sat around while Toothless had a good explore, the back door open so he could go and investigate the garden too. It was hard to say who wanted to go play with him more - their kids or their husband. Hiccup was the one who'd taken a week off work to make sure Toothless got settled in, after all. Astrid was only surprised it took him so long to wheedle them into pet ownership.

"What about Morgan and Siggy?"

"We'll introduce Toothless to the family soon, but he needs a couple of days to get used to his new home first."

Aura nodded very agreeably, fidgeting very reminiscent of Lillian as she waited to be allowed to go play with Toothless again.

"Go get your hands cleaned before dinner, alright?"

"Can we help?"

Hiccup nodded, and that was enough to have the kids charging upstairs to wash their hands. He smiled after them fondly, then moved to dispense kisses to his wives.

"Thank you."

"You are very welcome, now feed me."

He chuckled at Astrid, Lillian rolling her eyes as Hiccup headed off toward the kitchen. Astrid wriggled over to Lillian, snuggling into her side and Lils hugged her close with a soft, contented sigh. The kids dashed on by to join Hiccup in the kitchen, loving to get stuck in with helping with the cooking. Toothless was still padding around out in the garden, but he looked quite happy. Astrid stroked her sisters hand lazily, rubbing her thumb over the rings on her finger as they listened to the banging and clanging in the kitchen.

"If Hiccup tries to get me to let the dog sleep in our bed I'm gonna kill him."

Lillian chuckled, squeezing Astrid reassuringly.

"Aura already convinced him that the dog bed is going in her room, cus she's the one who didn't mind sleeping with the door open, and she's old enough to let him out if he's gotta go. I give it all of one night before the dog sleeps on her bed though."

Astrid shook her head, but she was smiling.

"Sounds about right."

With their youngest kid getting on for ten, Astrid's mind wandered slightly to many years gone by. They'd faced doubt and disbelief multiple times when introducing their relationship to other people; how could they share a husband? What would their families think? Weren't they going to mess up their kids?

And yet, over ten years since they tied the knot, they were still very much happy together, their family was a wonderful, supportive and _mad_ lot, and while Astrid might be biased, she thought their kids probably _benefited_ from three happily married parents, and were loving, bright and well rounded small humans.

Toothless eventually returned from the garden, and after some thought, headed over to the twins for attention.

"I know they say bark worse than bite, but honestly his _breath_ is worse than his bite."

Lils sniggered at Astrid wrinkling her nose, trying not to breathe in too much as Toothless panted and huffed happily in their direction.

"Yeah, well, it's not called dog breath for nothing."

With some kind of foodstuffs still in his messy red hair and a little apron not really keeping the flour off his clothes, Henrik tottered into the room and waited to have both his mothers attention.

"Dad said dinner is almost done so you should go wash your hands!"

Chuckling at his sincere, almost severely-serious tone, Astrid nodded at their son.

"We will Hen, promise."

"Good."

Nodding, he headed back to the kitchen. The twins shared a giggle, then ventured upstairs with a furry little shadow so they closed all the upstairs doors to bedrooms. Washing dog off their hands, they got down just in time for Hiccup to appear at the kitchen door, complete with small floury handprint on his face as he smiled and told them they could come in. Toothless got dinner too - which Hiccup had made himself, obviously, after getting advice on feeding a dentally challenged dog.

That dog was going to be _spoiled_ _rotten,_ Astrid could just tell.

Livy laid the table (her latest achievement, now she was finally tall enough to see over the table and reach) and shooed her mothers into chairs, Hiccup fighting laughter behind her, while Aura attempted to extract Henrik from the apron he was quite attached to, Hiccup managing to move about putting food on plates without tripping over a stray child.

An average dinner time in their household, really.

* * *

Morgan and Mala were the only people Hiccup had ever known who could gut a pumpkin without making a mess. He wasn't sure how they managed it. Sigmund was wearing the stringy guts over his head like a wig, and Aura had an area of destruction all around her in the form of scattered pumpkin seeds, while Livy and Henrik's shared pumpkins insides were mostly visible in the orange stain all over their hands.

But the pumpkin carving was an excellent way to get some excess energy out of the kids, which helped them quiet down for the dumb supper that evening. Henrik had Hiccup's knack for art, and liked drawing the pictures on the front of pumpkins, which usually came out alright (if a little wonky, as he didn't practice drawing on uneven vegetables often).

They took a few photos, as they often did for the various holidays, Hiccup smiling with Morgan and Sigmund perched on his lap - standing photos would come out rather comical, since he was so much older and taller than his two half-siblings. Then his own children all wanted to join in - pumpkin-smeared hands and all, but it was all good fun and Hiccup loved how fun and energetic the pictures would come out - who wanted a family album full of staged poses? That sounded really boring to him.

"Ok, let's start cleaning up, then we can get into costumes?"

"Yeah!"

Supervising hand washing (and a quick scrub of the cloth through Sig's hair to get the remnants of pumpkin guts out) made Hiccup laugh as Aura had the bright idea to climb in the bath and wash her hands there, then squealed when surprised by her feet getting wet.

Finally relatively clean, Hiccup shooed the horde of children downstairs again, where assorted parents were waiting with their kids costumes. Henrik's spider costume had been a bit of a cheat - Hiccup had adapted one for dogs to fit him, rather than make eight individual legs. Livy got scales painted on her face by grandma Valka, to match her scale-patterned jumper and trousers. Aura was a pirate that year, because she liked to change it up each Samhain. Sigmund was a Viking, like every other year he'd been old enough to choose, because that's what his dad went as, and Morgan had soon donned his skeleton costume, but didn't like the feeling of face paint, so he didn't wear it.

Toothless was throwing them sad puppy dog eyes thinking he was going to be left behind, but perked up when strapped into his dragon wings and invited along for the party. A couple of people who joined their Samhain celebration were allergic to dogs, but with three others who used service dogs for conditions like diabetes or epilepsy, they just dosed up on anti-histamines in advance.

"Ok, kids grab your pumpkins and _walk_ to the car. You'll be sad if you run, trip and smash your pumpkin."

Hiccup and Astrid each grabbed a box of food to take along, while Lillian kept an eye on the procession of children. They trotted out obediently to the amassed cars, seperating for the trip. They'd need a minibus to transport everyone, and that was _if_ they could find one that would fit Stoick. But with Morgan and Sigmund in the same age group as their nieces and nephew, they spent a lot of time together.

"Get your legs out of my face!"

Hiccup looked around from the front, perplexed before he realised Livy was batting away one of Henrik's spider legs.

"I can't help it! They have a mind of their own!"

Henrik defended, pouting and Hiccup couldn't deny how much his son looked just like him then, which probably said the adult man pouted a little too much himself.

"Calm down Livy, it's not that long a drive. Hen, try to sit still so you don't mess up her face paint with your extra limbs."

"I'll try."

He gave his best serious face, sitting very very still as Hiccup started the car. The motion of the car moving itself did jostle the legs, but Livy gave up dodging them and just held them down away from her face instead. Thankfully for possible tensions between children, the drive wasn't too long and Livy was first to scramble out of the car, escaping the spider legs.

"Hey kids!"

"Hi uncle Snotface!"

Scott's husband Dagur was nearby, stifling sniggers at the nickname the kids refused to stop using.

"Took you long enough to get here cuz, what were you doing?"

"Getting five kids into their costumes after scrubbing pumpkin off them."

Greeting various other family members, Hiccup hugged Gobber. Or rather, was hugged, quite fiercely.

"Aye laddie, you're lookin' well!"

"Thanks Gobber. How are things for you?"

"Good, good. Your lot are lookin'... unique."

Hiccup laughed, nodding as he saw Henrik wriggling so his multiple legs went moving too, showing off to the other children there.

"Yeah, well, they are unique."

"Aye, true. Enjoy your night lad."

"You too Gobber."

The kids all respectfully greeted aunt Gothi, who didn't appear to have aged at all in the fifteen years or so since Hiccup had started bringing Astrid and Lillian along to Samhain. She gave them all smiles in turn, then shooed them off to have a little fun while they waited for everyone else to arrive in time for dinner. With new generations adding numbers, they had to get a second table, which also got an intentionally left-empty seat.

Their kids were all old enough to stay silent for the dumb supper, though they were antsy and keen to expend some energy by the end of it but that was easily rectified once the supper was over and the requisite food offering had been made.

"Ok, who wants to dook for apples?"

"Me!"

Chorused the kids, already heading over to the kid-sized tub. Livy's face paint wasn't going to survive, but she and Henrik were big on competing for who could get an apple the quickest. Hiccup managed to beat his mother for once, but Mala soon avenged her by defeating Hiccup soundly. She barely even got her hair wet, while Hiccup could barely see through the damp curtain dripping down his face. And with his hands tied, he couldn't move it out of the way.

"Someone untie me, I'm blind!"

"Drama queen" Astrid freed him, Lillian brushing his wet hair out of his face and smiling up at him "you're out. Our turn!"

Binding Astrid and Lillian's wrists was something he definitely didn't only do at Samhain, and the way Astrid winked at him when he was done said she was thinking the same thing. She'd never change, he chuckled to himself as he stepped away to let the twins dook it out. Aura beat a couple of her cousins, but let Henrik and Livy beat her and left them taking their next turns while she dried off her face.

"Which mom won?"

"Don't know yet, neither have an apple!"

Lillian finally resurfaced, apple clutched in her teeth and grinning seconds before Astrid reappeared with one, scowling when she saw she was beat.

"Damnit!"

"Two out of three?"

"You're on!"

Scratch that; _they_ would never change. Hiccup didn't mind. He loved them as they were, ridiculous as could be.

They dried off and warmed up around the fire, many painted faces smudged and smeared by then but still smiling. Tummies full of Samhain treats they had helped to make, the kids were starting to get sleepy as they sat with their parents, the warmth from the fire seeming to encourage them to fall asleep there.

Midnight ticking in was when most of the parents-to-young-kids began to make their goodbyes, but there was still an ample amount of food left over (as usual) and they weren't want to waste it, so after many goodbye hugs and promises to see each other soon, Hiccup left his wives to herd the kids and Toothless into the car while he agreeably packed up some leftover roasted meat and cookies.

There was definitely napping in the car, despite the yearly insistence they would all be wide awake and not tired at all by midnight. Barely rousing even when poked awake to get into the house, Hiccup chuckled as he watched the kids amble in the second the front door was open.

"Ok kids, upstairs to brush your teeth and get into bed. You two can go up too, I'm just gonna put these leftovers in the fridge and make sure there's no stray pumpkin seeds lying around for a curious dog to get a nibble on."

Thanking him with exhaustion clear on their features, Astrid and Lillian followed their children upstairs. Hiccup let Toothless out back, then took the food through to the kitchen and loaded it into the fridge. By the time he'd finished checking for pumpkin remnants, Toothless had come back in and gone upstairs of his own accord, so Hiccup locked up and headed upstairs to check in on the kids before he headed to bed himself.

He peered in to see Henrik was little more than a lump under blankets, spider costume discarded on the floor in his sleepy haste to get into bed. Closing that door behind him, he checked on Livy, who sleepily requested tucking in and a goodnight kiss when she saw him. Indulging her happily, Hiccup ruffled her hair affectionately before he left her to sleep. He could hear Aura talking to Toothless, poking his head around her door and (unsurprisingly) seeing Toothless settling down on the end of her bed, completely ignoring his own plush doggy bed in the corner.

"Lights out Aura."

"I know, but Toothless knocked my books over and I had to put them back."

Well, that was fair enough. Hiccup bade her goodnight, turning to see Lillian yawning in their bedroom doorway, looking sweet in all her sleepy, messy haired glory, one of her old maternity tunics serving as nightwear.

"Hiccuuuuup, come to bed."

Smiling as he heard Astrid call out in agreement from their bed, Hiccup turned the hallway light off and went to join them, content their family was safe and well.

-HTTYD-

 **And we're done! I _hate_ writing endings so much, but here we are. This story evolved way beyond my wildest expectations when I first got the prompt, but it's been a lovely journey with these three and their family.**


End file.
